Top 10 myths of efficient light bulbs

Starting next week, on 1 September, the European Union will begin a multi-year phaseout of inefficient light bulbs; the first lamps to go will be 100-watt and frosted incandescent bulbs.

The phaseout — aimed at cutting energy waste and carbon emissions and reducing electricity bills — was approved by EU Member States last December with support of the UK. In fact, a voluntary initiative to phase out old-fashioned bulbs started in 2007 with the keen support of a number of UK energy suppliers and retailers.

“We can no longer rely on light bulbs which waste 95 per cent of their energy as heat,” said Environment Minister Dan Norris. “We are glad the EU has put this measure in place to stop the waste of energy and money from old-fashioned high-energy bulbs. The UK has had a successful voluntary initiative in place for a few years, and now the rest of the EU will follow suit on a mandatory basis.”

Norris added, “This is great news for people who will pay less in electricity and even better news for the planet, as this will amount to 1 million tonnes of saved CO2 per year by 2020.”

According to the Department for Environment and Rural Affairs (Defra), energy-efficient bulbs now come in every size, shape and design, with dimmable versions and bayonet and screw fittings.  The technology in low-energy bulbs has improved greatly and now the variety and choice is there for every household or business.

To encourage adoption of more efficient lamps, Defra also offered its Top 10 Light Bulb Myths:

1. They’re too expensive. Energy-efficient compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) have come down in price and will continue to do so. Some new CFLs are available at similar prices to old-fashioned bulbs (50p in some shops).  Energy-efficient lamps save money, up to £3 – 6 per lamp per year according to the Energy Saving Trust, and so the payback can be seen in months. They also last longer so you don’t need to buy them as often. Halogen “look-alike” bulbs are now available to fit in standard sockets, though these lamps do not last as long as CFLs and only offer a 25 – 40 per cent savings compared to traditional bulbs.
2. They don’t fit all fittings. Yes, they do. Lamps are now much smaller than previous CFLs, and come in very similar sizes and shapes to incandescent lamps. They come in all bayonet and screw fittings now. Where fittings are really small, halogen “look-alike” lamps are available, although these do not offer the same energy savings. Dimmable versions are also available.
3. They don’t last as long as advertised. CFLs should last longer than incandescent lamps, though toward the end of life they fade over time rather than blow. Under EU legislation there will be a minimum guaranteed lifetime.
4. They take ages to warm up and give off dull light. Many lamps come on instantly and no lamp should come on later than a second or two after flicking the switch. The light now is flicker-free; although CFL bulbs used to operate at mains frequency (50Hz) they are now designed to operate at 1,000 times that frequency. The light is bright and clear, and a test conducted by the Energy Saving Trust suggests the majority of people cannot tell the difference between the light of a new CFL and an incandescent bulb.
5. They won’t save money. CFL low-energy bulbs save 80 per cent more energy compared to an old-fashioned bulb. According to the Energy Saving Trust, this can cut £3 – 6 per lamp off your energy bills.
6. I can’t recycle them. All local councils provide recycling facilities for CFLs and some retailers will take them back. Councils are looking at what they can do to make it easier to recycle these bulbs. With all new products, the end-of-life recycling can take a while to become widespread, but this is happening now and being taken very seriously by local and national government.
7. New types of bulbs raise health concerns. EU health experts have concluded there is not enough evidence to suggest modern lamps can aggravate epilepsy or migraines, but Defra and DoH have worked closely with groups representing those with specific sight- and light-sensitive skin conditions to minimise any adverse effects from the use of CFLs.
8. They contain mercury. The evidence shows that the amount of mercury in lamps is less than the mercury that would be otherwise released into the atmosphere by coal-fire power generation to produce the energy used by an incandescent lamp. The mercury cannot escape from an intact lamp and, even if the lamp should be broken, the very small amount of mercury contained in a single, modern CFL is most unlikely to cause any harm.  Safe disposal tips for a smashed bulb can be found online.
9. Getting rid of old-fashioned light bulbs limits my choice. CFL bulbs are not the only ones on the markets. Halogen bulbs that fit into standard lighting sockets will remain on sale too, although these lamps don’t save as much energy as CFLs.
10. The phaseout will require me to change all my light bulbs. No one will be forced to change light bulbs or fittings, and retailers will be able to keep selling existing stocks. The EU measure, under the Eco-design for Energy-using Products Framework Directive, restricts the manufacture and import into the EU of 100-watt and frosted incandescent lamps from 1 September, with a phaseout of lamps of lower wattage by 2012.