Energy Minister Greg Barker has rejected a call for the UK to be exempted from the European Union’s ban on incandescent light bulbs.
Conservative MP David Nuttall said that the UK should push for a ‘complete exemption’ from the rules that have phased out incandescent lamps. as part pf a re-negotiation of it’s EU membership.
Nuttall said:
[The UK should be given back] the right to be able to use whatever light bulbs we want – without being told so by the EU.
Barker defended the ban by saying:
By having energy-efficient light bulbs, we are driving innovation and driving down people’s electricity bills. We do not want to go back to having high-cost energy bills and turning our back on innovation.
Labour MP Sheila Gilmore also asked whether people with photosensitive health conditions can use incandescent light bulbs.
Barker replied by saying:
The UK is sympathetic to concerns raised about the potential health impacts of lighting… and will press the European Commission to take this into account in the upcoming review.
Related Posts:
The Light Bulb Ban – What and When?The light bulb ban has been phasing out energy-guzzling light bulbs, read our time-line history and explore ultra-efficient LED replacements.
The EU Halogen Ban DebateThe European Halogen Ban is under pressure to push back their date due to consumer demand. Europeans have been buying significantly more...
New EU energy labels regulation changesYou may have noticed that there were some changes introduced light bulb’s energy labels in 2021. Since 1st September 2021, the energy...
Lights Go Out On ‘Special Purpose’ and ‘Rough Service’On 1 September 2009, the European Commission introduced a directive that aimed to ban the sale of incandescent light bulbs across the...