Lightglobes banned

Incandescent light globes have been banned from sale in Australian stores from November 2009.

For those of you who've grown up with 100 W globes, or even lower wattage incandescent light globes, you won't be able to replace them in the future.

Recently various power companies and councils have been offering 'free replacement' of light globes - replacing all those incandescent globes with the new energy-efficient Compact Fluorescent Lights (CFLs). In the fine print we noticed one such organisation required the recipient of such globes to sign over their rights to the calculated number of "carbon credits" that the globes would gain for them!

We declined - that's partly because we had already changed over a number of our globes - in the interests of good stewardship...

Thomas Edison's 1879 invention of the incandescent light globe has served us well.

So why is it being banned? Is the ban valid?

There are a number of aspects of this decision to ban incandescent globes that need closer investigation. This page investigates a few of the myths and facts...

Why are they being banned?

Because it is deemed they use too much electricity - the new CFLs use less power and last longer.

When did Australia decide to phase out - in other words ban the sale of - incandescent light globes?

Malcolm Turnbull, then the Environment Minister in the Howard Coalition government, announced the decision to ban their sale in 2007.

Incandescent lightbulbs get the flick
February 20, 2007 The Australian
"THE humble light bulb is about to become history as Australia dumps it in favour of more energy efficient technology. Federal Environment Minister Malcolm Turnbull said the standard incandescent light bulb, which has been around for 125 years, will be phased out by 2009. It will be replaced by the compact fluorescent bulb which costs $5 more, but saves an average of $30 a year, and is around 80 per cent more energy efficient. Mr Turnbull said new government standards will be in place by 2009...."

Do they actually save energy?
It is claimed that the globes last up to 15 times longer and use 80% less energy.
However with more frequent turning on and off this decreases significantly.

What is the downside of CFLs?
Many CFLs take a long time to warm up and they often provide less light, so a higher wattage is needed to obtain the same brightness. They can't be used in some light fittings and can't be used with dimmers.

What are the health risks?
The CFLs contain mercury as a part of the process of getting the light started.
This has serious consequences in two areas:
1. Breakage and Disposal
If a globe breaks, extreme care needs to be taken to avoid being poisoned by the mercury. This includes ventilating the room, using disposable gloves, putting the globe in a "sealed container" in order to prevent "potential contamination of the indoor environment"!
Read the long list of suggested precautions that need to be taken - as posted on the Department of the Environment's website.

2. Disposal
When a globe needs to be disposed of, it apparently should not just be thrown out in the rubbish.
Again, the Environment Department has a long list of precautions to take - read them here.

What about the manufacture of the lightglobes?
An article published in the UK's Sunday Times newspaper earlier this year noted that the Chinese workers who are making them are being poisoned by their contact with the mercury used in the globes. Another environmental factor is the adverse effects that arise from the re-opening of mercury mines!
See 'Green' lightbulbs poison workers, Times, May 3, 2009.

What about other countries?
Reason TV says "In September, the European Union banned the sale of 100-watt incandescent light bulbs, with lawbreakers facing up to $70,000 in fines. Over the next few years, bans on lower-wattage bulbs kick in. In the United States, similar legislation comes into play in 2012. . . "

They have a very good 2 minute video clip on their website called Light Bulbs vs. the Nanny State