Topline
The Biden Administration is set to enact a ban on incandescent light bulbs starting Tuesday, replacing them with energy-efficient bulbs. This move comes after years of bipartisan efforts to phase out incandescent bulbs, which were previously blocked by former President Donald Trump.
New regulations from the Department of Energy will gradually eliminate incandescent light bulbs.
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Key Facts
The Department of Energy approved new rules for light bulbs last year, which will come into effect on August 1. These rules include a new minimum standard for light bulbs, requiring a brightness of 45 lumens per watt, compared to the average 12 to 18 lumens per watt for incandescent bulbs.
Retailers will be prohibited from selling any bulbs that do not meet the new standard, which includes incandescent bulbs. However, households currently using non-compliant bulbs will not be required to stop using them.
This decision aims to conserve energy and help consumers save on their energy bills. Energy-efficient bulbs, such as LEDs, use at least 75% less energy and have a lifespan up to 25 times longer than incandescent bulbs, according to the Department of Energy.
The effort to phase out less efficient bulbs was initiated by former President George W. Bush. His Energy Independence and Security Act in 2007 called for household light bulbs to have approximately 25% greater efficiency, but did not outright ban incandescent bulbs, as stated by the Environmental Protection Agency.
Former President Barack Obama added two additional regulations in 2017, with the intention of phasing out incandescent bulbs and other specialty bulbs by January 2020, according to the EPA.
During Trump’s presidency in 2019, the Department of Energy blocked these regulations. Trump had expressed his opposition to energy-efficient bulbs, stating that they made him “look orange.”
Big Number
$3 billion. That’s the estimated amount that Americans will save on utility bills in a year by using energy-efficient bulbs.
Chief Critic
Rep. Pat Fallon (R-Texas) criticized the decision to phase out incandescent light bulbs, calling it another example of the Biden Administration’s regulatory burdens on American families. Rep. Scott Perry (R-Pa.) also condemned the ban as part of Biden’s “regulatory assault” on home appliances.
Contra
Joe Vukovich, an advocate at the Natural Resources Defense Council, stated that the U.S. is long overdue to phase out inefficient light bulbs. Charlie Harak, an attorney at the National Consumer Law Center, argued that a preference for energy-efficient bulbs would benefit households with higher energy burdens.
Tangent
The effort to phase out incandescent light bulbs is motivated by concerns about their contribution to climate change. The Department of Energy estimates that about 5% of global carbon greenhouse gas emissions come from lighting, and less energy-efficient bulbs like incandescent bulbs contribute more due to their heat production. These new regulations are expected to reduce carbon emissions by 222 million metric tons over the next 30 years, equivalent to the emissions generated by 28 million homes in one year.
Key Background
In 2020, approximately 30% of U.S. households used incandescent or halogen incandescent light bulbs, according to the Department of Energy. Regulations on less efficient bulbs have faced opposition over the past two decades, with some Republicans arguing that the rules infringe upon personal freedom. However, others, including former Senator John Warner (R-Va.), have argued that energy
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Denial of responsibility! TechCodex is an automatic aggregator of Global media. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, and all materials to their authors. For any complaint, please reach us at – [email protected]. We will take necessary action within 24 hours.
