America’s ban on incandescent light bulbs has finally become a reality. Mostly, anyway. A 2007 rule, rescinded by the Trump administration and amended last year by the Biden administration, effectively prohibits the sale of standard incandescent light bulbs. The rule went into full force on Tuesday, August 1.
US bans conventional incandescent light bulbs- Here’s what you should know
What is prohibited?
President Joe Biden’s Department of Energy mandated in April 2022 that light bulbs emit a minimum of 45 lumens per watt. A lumen is a unit of measurement for brightness. This basically bans the production and sale of conventional incandescent bulbs, which are used in the great majority of light outlets in your home. This is due to the fact that traditional incandescent bulbs provide just 15 lumens per watt, according to light bulb manufacturer Philips. In comparison, most LED bulbs provide 75 lumens per watt or more.
What is not prohibited?
According to the Department of Energy, the new rule does not prohibit all incandescent light bulbs. Here’s what manufacturers and retailers can still produce and sell:
Appliance lamps, including fridge and oven lights
Black lights
Bug lamps
Colored lamps
Infrared lamps
Left-handed thread lamps
Plant lights
Floodlights
Reflector lamps
Showcase lamps
Traffic signals
Other specialty lights, such as maritime lamps and odd-sized bulbs
Why is the government outlawing light bulbs?
LED lights, for example, are a significantly more energy-efficient way to light your home. The Department of Energy predicts that the rules will save US households close to $3 billion in power costs over the next 30 years, while simultaneously reducing global warming carbon emissions by 222 million metric tons.
Do I have to dispose of my old bulbs?
You can use whichever light bulbs you choose as long as they still work (according to the Energy Department, incandescent have a far shorter life duration than LEDs). The restriction only applies to the manufacture and sale of light bulbs that produce less than 45 lumens per watt, not to their use.
According to the 2020 Residential Energy Consumption Survey done by the US Energy Information Administration, nearly half of US households use LED bulbs for most or all indoor lighting. In any case, many Americans have abandoned incandescent bulbs.
What makes this so controversial?
The ban is the culmination of a decades-long bipartisan push that began during the Bush administration to eliminate incandescent bulbs. However, the rule has received significant criticism, notably on conservative media channels and among some Republican politicians.
Former President Donald Trump’s government repealed an Obama-era enhancement of the 2007 light bulb rule in 2019, while the Biden administration eventually reinstated it. Trump notoriously complained about the quality of LED lighting, telling House Republicans that “I always look orange” in the energy-efficient lights.
What’s next?
Compact fluorescent light bulbs are next on the forbidden list. The Department of Energy proposed a rule in December 2022 that would more than quadruple the existing minimum light bulb efficiency threshold, to more than 120 lumens per watt for the most common bulbs. This would take effect at the end of 2024, effectively outlawing CFL bulbs.
