Watt to Know About the Incandescent Light Bulb Ban

by M.C. Millman

The incandescent light bulb ban, issued in 2007, but pushed off for sixteen years, went into effect yesterday.

The new rule passed by the Department of Energy in April of 2022 bans the sale of standard incandescent light bulbs, but New Yorkers can still use the bulbs they have on hand. 

The law states that light bulbs must emit a minimum of 45 lumens per watt which outlaws the manufacture and sale of the common incandescent bulbs, which provide only 15 lumens per watt. On the other hand, LED bulbs provide a minimum of 75 lumens per watt, making such bulbs more energy-efficient.

The new rule should save US consumers an estimated $3 billion on utility bills and cut carbon emissions by 222 million metric tons over the next 30 years. An additional bonus of LED bulbs is that they last longer than their incandescent counterparts. 

Incandescent light bulbs that can still be sold include:

• Appliance lamps, including refrigerator and oven lights
• Plant, black, and floodlights
• Bug, reflector, showcase, colored, left-handed thread, and infrared lamps
• Traffic signals
• Specialty lights, including marine lamps and odd-sized bulbs