Tuesday 6 January 2009

Traditional 100 watt light bulbs to be phased out

Retailers have stopped stocking the bulb, which has been illuminating British homes for more than 120 years, and anticipate that they will have run out within weeks.

The withdrawal is part of a Government campaign, launched by Gordon Brown in 2007, to push people into buying fluorescent bulbs.

It is hoped the switch will reduce emissions of carbon dioxide by around five million tonnes a year.

Low energy lightbulbs are small versions of the fluorescent strip lights found in offices and public buildings.

They use just a quarter of the energy of a conventional bulb. Replacing just one ordinary 100 watt can knock £7 a year off a household energy bill.

Under the voluntary ban, retailers have already stopped stocking 150 watt bulbs and agreed to stop replenishing stocks of 100 watt and 75 watt bulbs at the start of 2009.

By 2010 60 watt bulbs will start to be phased out and all incandescent bulbs will be banned by 2012.

A spokesman for Tesco, Britain's largest light bulb retailer, said: "All the 100 watt and 75 watt incandescent lightbulbs will be gone in the next couple of weeks."

However, there is concern that compact fluorescent bulbs contain mercury, making them dangerous to dispose of, and give off a harsh light.

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