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As of Aug. 1, retailers are no longer allowed to sell incandescent lightbulbs under new energy efficiency rules enacted by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). Light-emitting diode (LED) lightbulbs will fully replace the incandescent versions, though many consumers have already been using the LED versions for months or even years.
The Biden administration’s new efficiency standards require lightbulbs to meet a minimum standard of producing 45 lumens per watt. Most incandescent bulbs only produce 15 lumens per watt. The DOE reports that over the next three decades the rules will also cut carbon dioxide emissions by 222 million metric tons.
Several types of lightbulbs are currently allowed to be sold as incandescent, including appliance lamps, black lights, bug lamps, colored lamps, infrared lamps, left-handed thread lamps, plant lights, floodlights, reflector lamps, showcase lamps, traffic signals, marine lamps and some odd-sized bulbs.
Visit the North American Hardware and Paint Association’s Trainer’s Toolbox to download the Lightbulb Selling Guide. Plus, learn how to create a curated lightbulb section here.
