As part of its energy efficiency and climate change strategy, the Biden administration is getting ready to enact a broad national ban on routinely used light bulbs.
The Department of Energy (DOE) finalized the regulations, which forbid merchants from selling incandescent light bulbs, in April 2022. The rules are set to take effect on August 1st, 2023.
DOE will begin banning light bulbs
The DOE has previously advised stores to start moving away from the light bulb type, and in recent months has started sending warning notifications to businesses. The prohibition will start to be fully enforced on that date.
The lighting industry is already adopting more energy-efficient goods, and this move would speed up the process of getting the finest products to American customers and creating a better and brighter future, according to Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm last year.
The measures, according to the DOE release, will reduce carbon emissions by 222 million metric tons over the following three decades and save consumers $3 billion annually on power costs.
Getting rid of inefficient incandescent lights will save Americans close to $3 billion annually and significantly cut carbon dioxide emissions over a 30-year period.
It is anticipated that changing the bulbs will reduce carbon emissions that contribute to global warming by 222 million metric tons over the next 30 years, which is the same amount of emissions produced by 28 million residences in a single year.
No new purchase orders at Queens’ Straus Paint & Hardware will contain the phrase incandescent.
According to the Department of Energy, LED lights use 75% less energy than incandescent lights while producing more light. LEDs also have a 25 times longer lifespan.
Starting in July no more incandescent lights
Beginning in July, incandescent lights won’t be available for purchase. Just the incandescent lights that are most frequently used in houses and are not energy efficient are being outlawed by the DOE.
Manufacturers and merchants were alerted to the move by the DOE in January of this year, with full enforcement starting in July 2023. The maximum fine for manufacturers that break the law is $542 per illegal bulb.
Retrofitted LED lights have reduced costs for eateries like Blend Astoria, whose moody lighting draws regular audiences.
According to Lifehacker research, the average cost of an LED light bulb is between $5 and $7 per bulb, as opposed to the $2 to $3 per bulb that an incandescent bulb would typically cost.
Yet, since LED bulbs require less energy to operate and have a longer lifespan, they end up saving money over time.
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