The EU directive banning the manufacture and importation of incandescent light bulbs (lamps) came into force on September 1st for 100w light bulbs.

Don’t panic for the moment though because Barry Forkin, (Newbury’s answer to Arkwright) has thousands of them for sale. He has been buying them by the lorry load from every available source in the UK.

It is illegal to manufacture them, but it is not illegal to sell them and Barry Forkin is doing just that, in some cases hundreds at a time. Customers are travelling long distances to his little store in Bartholomew Street, stocking up to ward off the day when we will all have to start using those new fangled low energy things.

I'm sure there will be a stampede for the old bulbs. Personally, I've decided to go for LED's where I can. Sharper light, environmentally friendly, cheaper to run and lasts for years.

Quoted from 133

I'm sure there will be a stampede for the old bulbs. Personally, I've decided to go for LED's where I can. Sharper light, environmentally friendly, cheaper to run and lasts for years.

There are LEDs and LEDs. The cheap ones have terrible light output, but some of the more expensive are easily a match for incandescents.

Tesco's still have (Tue 1st Sept) the pearl and frosted 60W which I believe are part of the first wave to be banned.

I've tried a few LED ones but found them unreliable. I'll wait and see if they improve.

Cheers

Barry Forkin clearly has no shame.

Perhaps the shop owner has some novel idea of how he can defeat climate change that the rest of us do not know about.

So let's hear it.....

Quoted from 37

Barry Forkin clearly has no shame.  Perhaps the shop owner has some novel idea of how he can defeat climate change that the rest of us do not know about.  So let's hear it.....

I doubt it, 'cause no one else does either.

Quoted from 37

Barry Forkin clearly has no shame.

Perhaps the shop owner has some novel idea of how he can defeat climate change that the rest of us do not know about.

So let's hear it.....

He's obviously running a one man campaign to protect us from mercury poisoning. Low energy lamps are only greener when it comes to energy consumption - in every other way they are an ecological nightmare.

It appears they are also prone to burn out (complete with flames), something I was not aware of until recently - I do hope that is a problem that has been engineered out of the current designs.

And the light from them is simply not as pleasant.

We had a CFL explode on us a little while back.

Quoted from Greenham Common

We had a CFL explode on us a little while back.

If someone in my family is injured by an exploding lamp can I sue the government or EU for removing the safer option from the market?

I've got a load of those old bulbs at home.... along with tons of the new sort.

Quoted from Greenham Common

We had a CFL explode on us a little while back.

I hope you put a mask on and gloves before picking up the bits. Mercury poisoning goes straight to the brain. I used to look after navigational gyros which had mercury contactors......Umm .... Sorry, I forgot what I was saying.

Quoted from GMR

I've got a load of those old bulbs at home.... along with tons of the new sort.

You're not Barry Forkin, are you?

Quoted from massifheed

You're not Barry Forkin, are you?

Ermmmmmmm........

A lot of comments about low energy bulbs here relate to the early models which were not so good.

Anyone worried about the mercury can always use LED bulbs which last absolutely ages, the answer to our energy saving prayers.

Got that Barry F?

Quoted from 37

A lot of comments about low energy bulbs here relate to the early models which were not so good.

But a number of us have loads that the energy companies have sent us (they get 'brownie' points from the Government for doing so), so it might be some time before we get the 'improved' versions.  Or should we throw the early ones away?