The Government announced in June that halogen bulbs will no longer be available to buy in Britain. But the move was originally due to take place on September 1. The delay was to ensure the “new requirements can be implemented effectively immediately once live”, according to the Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy (BEIS).

The Government’s plan to remove halogen bulbs from sale comes as part of the UK’s wider efforts to reduce carbon emissions.

From October 1, Britons will be forced to buy and use LED bulbs in their homes instead.

The shift to these bulbs will cut 1.26million tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2), which is the equivalent to removing over half a million cars from UK roads.

The energy-friendly bulbs also last several years longer than halogen or fluorescent versions and use 80 percent less power.

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The EnergySavingTrust has previously estimated that it would cost a household £100 a year to replace all their halogen bulbs.

But this would cut their energy bills by at least £40 a year.

Homes with LED bulbs pay £146 a year to run them, while households with halogen bulbs pay £78 a year, according to research from Compare the Market.

From next week, families will not have to replace the halogen bulbs they already have – they can simply wait until they run out.

To help people make the switch, the Government announced that all lightbulbs will start to feature new energy efficiency advice via “rescaled” energy labels on their boxes.

The labels will simplify the way energy efficiency is displayed on a new scale from A to G.

It is thought that very few bulbs will now be classified A, helping customers pick the most environmentally friendly lightbulbs.

Back in June, Energy Minister Anne-Marie Trevelyan said: “We’re phasing out old inefficient halogen bulbs for good, so we can move more quickly to longer lasting LED bulbs, meaning less waste and a brighter and cleaner future for the UK.

“By helping ensure electrical appliances use less energy to perform just as well, we’re saving households money on their bills and helping tackle climate change.”

A spokesperson for the BEIS added this month: “Phasing out inefficient, energy-intensive halogen lightbulbs will cut 1.26 million tonnes of CO2.

“This short one-month delay will ensure these new requirements can be implemented effectively immediately once live.”

In addition to banning halogen bulbs, the Government also plans to phase out the sale of high-energy fluorescent bulbs, such as strip lights largely used in offices.

This ban will come into place in September 2023.



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Post source: Express