An end to the 60 watt bulb

Midnight last night saw the end of sales of 60w light bulbs in Britain. It is now illegal to manufacture and import these light bulbs within the EU, although retailers who still have old stock will be permitted to sell that, but once they’re gone, they’re gone!

The main alternatives to the old style bulbs include halogen and compact fluorescent lamp (CLF) bulbs as well as light-emitting diodes (LEDs). This is all part of the EU plan aimed at trying to reduce energy consumption by 20% by 2020.

There are many people who feel this decision is premature as many consumers find that the new bulbs can take a long time to ‘warm up’ and do not emit enough light, or the light gives an unattractive glow. There has also been a call for the ban to be reversed as there are many groups who say the new bulbs can cause adverse effects if you suffer from some health conditions.