Photo Lighting: Incandescent Light Bulb Ban Begins

As of today (08/01/23), no more incandescent light bulbs will be sold in the United States.

Love them or hate them, LEDs are replacing Edison's glowing orbs, in use since the late 1800s. Going forward, only energy efficient lighting (45 lumens per watt) will be sold nationally.

Bulbs that go inside ovens & bug lights are exempt. But most if not all other incandescents will struggle to meet the new efficiency standards, and the same goes for a more recent generation of halogen lights.

Europe is a step ahead, having phased out incandescent lights in 2012. In 2021, the European Union said it would also ban all fluorescent lighting next month.

Environmental groups and experts have long pushed for a phaseout of fluorescent lights, which are less efficient than LEDs and also contain harmful mercury.