The incandescent lightbulb ban is now in effect. Here's what you need to know.
After 16 years of bipartisan discussion, the incandescent lightbulb ban is now in effect.
The effort to phase out the lightbulb began with former President George W. Bush in 2007 and has since been altered by multiple presidential administrations.
Bush's Energy Independence and Security Act did not outright ban incandescent bulbs, but it did call for household lightbulbs to have "about 25 percent greater efficiency," according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency.
In 2017, President Barack Obama added two new regulations to the act that would phase out incandescent bulbs and other specialty bulbs by January 2020, according to the EPA.
The Trump administration withdrew the 2017 regulations in 2019 "on the basis that the legal rationale underlying those revisions misconstrued existing law," according to the EPA.
A new rule was passed by President Joe Biden in April 2022 stating lightbulbs must emit a minimum of 45 lumens per watt.
Here's everything you need to know about the ban.
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Which lightbulbs are banned under the new rule?
The policy establishes a new minimum energy-efficiency standard of 45 lumens per watt, meaning bulbs under that efficiency level will not be permitted on the market.
Traditional incandescent lightbulbs provide just 15 lumens per watt, according to lightbulb manufacturer Phillips. Meanwhile, LED lights can measure at 70 to 100 lumens per watt.
Which lightbulbs are not banned under the new rule?
Not all incandescent bulbs are banned under the new rule.
Here's what can still be manufactured and sold in stores, according to the Department of Energy:
- Appliance lamps
- Black light lamps
- Bug lamps
- Colored lamps
- General service fluorescent lamps
- High intensity discharge lamps
- Infrared lamps
- Left-hand thread lamps
- Marine lamps
- Plant lights
- Flood lights
- Reflector lamps
- Showcase lamps
- Traffic signals
- Other specialty lights, including R20 short lamps and silver bowl lamps
Why is the government banning incandescent lightbulbs?
Newer forms of lighting provide a more energy-efficient way to light your home. According to the Department of Energy, LED lightbulbs use at least 75% less energy and last 25 to 50 times longer than incandescent bulbs.
The Energy Department estimates consumers will save nearly $3 billion a year on their utility bills once the rule is in place.
In addition to saving money, the rules are expected to help the environment.
“By raising energy efficiency standards for lightbulbs, we’re putting $3 billion back in the pockets of American consumers every year and substantially reducing domestic carbon emissions,” Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm said in a statement.
"Over the next 30 years, the rules are projected to cut carbon emissions by 222 million metric tons – an amount equivalent to the emissions generated by 28 million homes in one year," according to the Energy Department.
Do I need to throw out my old lightbulbs?
Because the ban is on the manufacture and sale of the bulbs, not the use of them, you can continue to use nonconforming bulbs as long as they work.
Are compact fluorescent lightbulbs next to be banned?
In December 2022, the Energy Department proposed a rule that would double the minimum lightbulb efficiency level to over 120 lumens per watt for the most common bulb.
This would take effect by the end of 2024 and effectively phase out compact fluorescent light bulbs.
The Energy Department says the move would save the average family at least $100 a year. It would also reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than 2.4 billion metric tons and save consumers $570 billion over 30 years, it says.
