Incandescent lightbulb ban in effect: What you need to know
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Gabe Hauari USA TODAY
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.
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.
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Maybe somebody can get this in front of the SCOTUS and we can finally end agencies making laws.
Still clinging to your incandescent bulbs Vic?? I haven't had any in my house for at least 5 years but, hey, can't have agencies making laws can we?
You're catching on.......
To be honest, I can't tell one from the other, though I know the incandescent are best.
I haven't had any in my house for at least 5 years but, hey, can't have agencies making laws can we?
No, we can't. Only the legislature is entitled to make laws.
There is one thing I have noticed since switching all bulbs to LED in my house and business, I'm burning through more firewood to keep both warm through the winter, in my business shop we have had to install a used oil burner now to keep up. Incandescent bulbs and high pressure sodium produce not only light but more heat also.
That makes absolutely no sense. If you can't tell one from the other, the one that uses most energy and burns out twice a year is the best?
What Are The Benefits Of Incandescent Light Bulbs? (healthlighting.com)
Big question is how are they going to know if somebody has them or not? Anybody shows up at my house in Arizona, they better show up with a court order. Otherwise they are not setting foot inside my house or property.
Perhaps the government will offer rewards to rat people out, like China offers cash and spiritual rewards for ratting on people.
Don't need rewards, just add it to DARE programs and encourage children to turn their parents in like they did for drug use.
I guess you missed this part:
It's going to mean that people may need a new way to think up new ideas. Can you get as bright a new idea with an LED bulb?
If they banned lightbulbs that would be a problem. Banning an outmoded type of lightbulb is not a problem. Just adapt.
Who says it is outmoded? Bill Ayers?
This is America. We buy what we want.
Since I have no incandescents anymore I've realized that I haven't bought any bulbs for a long time so I checked Home Depot.
They don't have the standard incandescent bulb anymore the closest I could find is a 40 watt appliance bulb (which won't be banned by this law)
average life 2000 hours, 400 lumens, 40 watts, $4.97/bulb.
They also have 40 watt equivalent led bulbs
average life 15000 hours, 490 lumens, 5.3 watts, $2.67/bulb.
Hey, This is America. Buy what you want.
Oh no! No more boomer bulbs?!
brighter light for less energy used, oh the horror...
I remember Rush Limbaugh going to war to keep his house filled with the most energy inefficient light bulbs he could get his drug addled hands on. Say no to oxy, kids.
That brings up another thing I've notice around here, cheaper and brighter lights means for the same cost in energy you can install more lights, instead of what used to be one yard light now people are installing multiple brighter lights, now on cloudy moonless nights around here, in the middle of nowhere, it looks like dusk all night from the reflection of all the extra lights around us on nights like that it used to be near pitch black here, of course that means that I don't even need a yard light anymore so that is a savings for me.
fortunately rush is where he can do the most good for the country now...
Don't forget longer life span.
that may be the biggest issue. heaven forbid they buy an LED light that outlives them.
But incandescents make their 8-track players look shiny and new.
It's like outlawing oil lamps.
Nobody but the Amish still uses them, but that doesn't mean we need government intervention.
That said, government agencies make regulations all the time and have for decades. Normally, that saves us all from people like AOC or MGT having control over even more stuff they don't begin to understand.
Many laws are written to "instruct the Director of XYZ" to establish regulations .
Every now and then, those agencies get a little overzealous, but overall I'd rather have professionals implementing the day to day rules.
I disagree. Conservatives regularly cut off their noses to spite their faces. If it’s a liberal idea, conservatives are against it and will act accordingly.
With what, exactly?
The existence of conservatives?
Or did you have a thought about outlawing light bulb production? Y'know....the topic.
As I mentioned above, when this issue first came about Rush Limbaugh preached to his enormous audience about his favoring of incandescent light bulbs over LEDs. Y’know … the topic.
Sorry to disappoint you, but I don't read all the comments you make to everyone.
I also have negative amounts of interest in Rush Limbaugh or what he might have said years ago.
The fact is, we don't need to outlaw something that doesn't harm anyone and is going away on its own anyway.
Ever try to bake a cake an Easy Bake Ovens with your fancy new fangled low heat light bulbs?
1960s Problems...
China and Mexico will supply a new black-market here and then we can have a War on Bulbs.
Only if people like you break the law and buy them.
Not people like me, I don’t have illegal drugs or incandescent bulbs in my house, except maybe the oven or refrigerator.
Don’t let your biases run away with you.
You're right. I've let my biases run away with me. It seems to me that the market has really done away with the need for this whole thing but it's also done away with any need for outrage over it at the same time. I'm officially in the don't give a dang column now.
Good for you.
The only thing this regulation is intended to do is start a fight. The issue gives self righteous butt pluggers something to claim as a phony moral imperative.
It's true banning incandescent bulbs would accomplish a lot more than banning gas ranges and water heaters. But that's not why these bans are being put in place. If the butt pluggers really gave a damn about the environment then they'd ban air freight.
Last longer and use less electricity. A really tough decision. /s