Incandescent light bulb ban: Reasons why you can't buy them anymore

You can't buy incandescent light bulbs anymore.

With a few exceptions, the bulbs – patented by Thomas Edison in 1880 and a common fixture in American homes for more than a century – have officially passed into history. Since Aug. 1, commonly used incandescents can't be manufactured or sold, though you can still use the bulbs you've already purchased.

But when your supply of incandescents is gone, you'll probably be buying more energy-efficient and longer-lasting LEDs, or light-emitting diodes. LED prices have declined, a trend that's expected to continue.

We've known for years that incandescents were on the way out. Manufacturers and the government have sought new types of fixtures that would use less energy than Edison's pear-shaped glass bulb with a heated tungsten filament glowing inside.

The Energy Department, which set stricter energy standards for bulb makers, says the change will cut utility costs for Americans. Halogen bulbs, a type of incandescent, will also be phased out.

CFLs, compact fluorescent bulbs, would also be phased out under new standards proposed by the Biden administration in December. The regulation could take effect in 2025.

LEDs were invented in 1962 and were used for everyday lighting starting around 2008. They last longer, generate less heat and use less electricity to produce light. The Energy Department says:

Measures to phase out incandescent bulbs began in earnest in 2007 when President George W. Bush signed the Energy Independence and Security Act.

One of its goals was to increase energy efficiency, which included new standards for household appliances and incandescent lamps. The standards banned bulbs that produced fewer than 45 lumens, a measure of light, per watt, a unit of power.

Compact fluorescent bulbs were invented in 1976. They were improved over the next decades and prices went down as their efficiency increased.

However, fluorescent bulbs use small amounts of mercury, a toxic chemical, to convert electricity to light. Broken CFLs should be disposed of as hazardous items.

Incandescent bulbs produce light by using electricity to heat a wire filament until it glows. The drawback is that the bulbs use 90% of their energy to produce heat. CFLs use about 80% for heat.

LEDs work by sending electricity through a diode that generates light without much heat. You can unscrew an LED that's been lit for hours without burning yourself. However, LEDs should be placed where they won't heat surfaces or household items by prolonged exposure.

Incandescents are less expensive to buy, but don't last as long as LEDs or CFLs, which cost less to us over the long run.

Lumens measure how much light is given off by a bulb. The higher the number of lumens, the brighter the bulb. Watts measure how much electricity a bulb uses.

With incandescent bulbs, watts used to be the measure for brightness. Now, with LEDs and CFLs producing more light using less electricity, consumers are advised to check lumens when choosing brightness.

Depending on the quality of the bulb and the amount of wattage delivered, LEDs can sometimes flicker or become too dim or too bright or work erratically. New switches or fixtures can usually solve the problem.

And while LEDs last much longer and don't burn out suddenly like incandescents, they can lose brightness over time, a condition called lumen depreciation. LEDs are usually replaced when their light output falls to 70% or less.

Some white LEDs can emit a "cooler" light that's more on the blue side of the spectrum than incandescent bulbs. "Daylight" or "natural" LEDs produce what's considered a "warmer" color.

Not all incandescents will be prohibited. The Energy Department lists exceptions, including:

1880: Edison patents the electric incandescent light bulb.

1976: First CFL is invented.

2002: White LEDs for residential use are introduced.

2007: Congress passes legislation to phase in more efficient incandescents.

2010-2012: The Environmental Protection Agency releases specifications for LED bulbs as incandescent replacements.

2019: Trump administration blocks regulation that would phase out older incandescent bulbs.

2022: Biden administration reinstates phase-out of incandescents. Department of Energy announces new efficiency standards to end production and sale of high-energy incandescent bulbs.

2023: Ban on common incandescent bulbs starts in August.

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CONTRIBUTING Jim Sergent, USA TODAY

SOURCE USA TODAY Network reporting and research; Department of Energy; Congressional Research Service; Environmental Protection Agency; Associated Press; sciencedirect.com