Two new requirements for light bulbs may mean that millions of perfectly safe and usable light bulbs could end up in landfill. How has this come about and what can be done?
The problem:
- In April 2023 light bulbs will require (i) re-scaled energy labels, and from October 2023, light bulbs will need to meet new (ii) minimum energy performance standards
- Currently, in the supply chain, there are tens of millions of light bulbs that do not comply with energy labeling requirements
- Retailers are not in a position to deliver the proposed minimum energy standards within the timescales proposed
- This means that light bulbs that are not unsafe could end up in landfill
- The BRC and the Lighting Industry Association wrote to Lord Callanan the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Energy Efficiency and Green Finance in January and received a response in March to say that our input is needed to develop policy in this area.
The solution:
- To avoid having to send tens of millions of compliant light bulbs to landfill and avoid empty shelves, we would like an extra 18 months to sell-through existing light bulbs.
- We suggest that from October 2024 (rather than April 2023) goods placed on the market should meet the energy labelling requirements and the proposed minimum energy performance standards
The BRC are working closely with the Ministers for Business and Environments to try and keep these bulbs on the shelves.