I should, for professional reasons, probably welcome this. The EU is to ban incandescent light bulbs. Now I think that metal halide bulbs will still be OK (which we supply materials for) and if so, I expect that the market for them will increase. As the compact flourescents cannot be used on dimmer switches, and also because metal halide bulbs are the only way to get a richer spectrum, I would assume so.
However, there’s a little thing at the end here which makes me wonder whether it is a good idea or not:
There is also an environmental cost to be set against
the energy savings. CFLs contain mercury so extra waste disposal rules
may be required.
Householders will also have to
change their habits in other ways. They will no longer be able to throw
old bulbs out in the rubbish.
Those extra environmental rules have already been proposed. Under the mercury regulations, there should be an entirely separate recycling system, just for mercury containing light bulbs. Given the energy costs of such a thing, I do wonder whether quite as many emissions will be saved as is mooted?
Anyone know?
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