The European Union is banishing conventional lightbulbs. The move will save tons of CO2 and lots of money. Critics complain that the alternatives are costly, not bright enough, and contain harmful substances, but the end is nigh for lightbulb jokes.
 | Ban the Bulb!Goodbye lightbulb, hello CFL! By 2012 no conventional lightbulbs will be available to European households (Photo: Shutterstock) |
From September 2009 European lightbulbs, an age old source of bright light and dull jokes, will begin their slide into history. The EU is following the lead of Australia and California by banning the manufacture and import of incandescent lightbulbs within its borders. Energy-efficient Compact Fluorescent Lightbulbs (CFLs) that only need 25 percent of the energy of a normal bulb are taking over.
First commercialized at the end of the 19th century, the incandescent lightbulb has dutifully illuminated mankind for more than 130 years. It brought us independence from daytime, boosted economies, and made life safer and more secure.
But this loyal service is one of the reasons for the climate crisis we are facing right now. Conventional lightbulbs are incredibly inefficient, converting only about five percent of the energy they receive into light. The rest literally vanishes into thin air, leaving nothing but unnecessary heat.
The Australian government was the first to act. The country banned conventional bulbs in 2007 . Former minister of environment, Malcolm Turnbull, estimated that replacing all of them with energy-efficient lamps could save four million tons of CO2 by 2012. The State of California followed suit and passed a similar law.
Come along, Europe!
Two years later, the EU, a self-proclaimed leader in the fight against climate change, decided to ban the bulbs to inch a little closer to its ambitious climate targets. By 2012, European households shall be lighted by energy-efficient lightbulbs only.
From September 2009 the import and production of 100 watt bulbs is completely forbidden. In September 2010, it will be time up for 75 watt bulbs. A year later, the 60 watt versions will follow. The knock-out blow will come in 2012 when the 40 watt and 25 watt lightbulbs will start to disappear. From then, bulbs will only be available while stocks last.
The green rewards of such an attempt is high. The EU anticipates that energy costs will be cut by five to eight billion euros a year, with a reduction of CO2 emissions by 32 million tons. Translate this to a national level and Germany could get rid of two entire nuclear power plants because the yearly demand for energy would decrease by about 7.5 million kilowatt hours.
Cautious Acclaim for a Bright Future
Nevertheless, the energy-efficient lightbulbs are not always met with a kindly reception. Conventional lightbulb manufacturers complain that thousands of jobs will be lost. While most of the old bulbs were produced in the EU, the more efficient lightbulbs are mainly imported.
Spending too much time under the colder light emitted by energy-efficient bulbs could lead to hormonal imbalance and mood swings. According to a study from the Britisch Health Protection Agency, a CFL's level of electric smog could also exceed the international guidelines.
The colder light also discourages customers from hanging a CFL above their dining tables – food and guests wouldn’t look too healthy in the pale blue light, some say. Many seem to follow those aesthetic objections. During last year’s EU summit in Brussels, German chancellor Angela Merkel complained that the CFLs in her house “do not shed that much light” in her living-room.
But such complaints seem minor compared to the potential toxicity of CFLs. They might be more energy-efficient than normal lightbulbs, but they also contain mercury. The heavy metal is poisonous and acts as a neurotoxin. Thus, CFLs are classified as hazardous waste and can’t just be thrown away.
The EU has prohibited the use of mercury for other household appliances like clinical thermometers or barometers but not for CFLs given that they contain less than five milligrams of mercury, a dose considered safe for humans. Low-price imports, however, often exceed this limit. So you’d be safer spending that extra money.
Besides, the customer does have healthier alternatives. Compared to conventional lightbulbs LED (light emitting diode) bulbs are 55 to 85 precent more efficient, halogen lamps 10 to 40 percent. Unlike CFLs, those light sources do not contain mercury or any other hazardous materials.
And, despite all discussion, the concept seems to work. The North Sea Island of Norderney is trying hard to become Germany’s first CFL community. By the end of this year, only energy-efficient lightbulbs are supposed to illuminate the island’s households, streets, and bars. Progress is still slow, but the leaders of the project remain optimistic: Fall and winter are close, and the darker seasons will raise the awareness among the community.
If the EU’s plans work out the old jokes about the number of lawyers or economists it takes to screw in a lightbulb will be meaningless to the next generation. CFLs just have to be plugged into a socket.
editor: Bettina Fachinger
publishing date: September 2, 2009
Do you have something interesting to add? Write a comment and discuss this topic with other readers. Comments should be on-topic, non-commercial, and not contain abuse of any kind.
Comment Policy
CFLs
Thanks for such informative articles and upgrading my knowledge about conventional bulbs. Will you be surprised if I say that we are using CFLs from the day it has flooded the market? We...