The UK government's position on energy inefficient lightbulbs was thrown into doubt today after its Irish counterpart announced legislation to introduce mandatory efficiency standards for light bulbs which will see them banned by the beginning of 2009.

As part of its National Carbon Budget, the Irish Government announced what will be, in effect, the European Union's first ban on energy-wasting incandescent lightbulbs. In contrast, the UK plan proposes a "voluntary agreement" between major retailers which has no legal teeth and will only come into full effect in 2011.

In a letter to Greenpeace UK, the UK's Department for the Environment, Food and Rural affairs initially claimed that a mandatory ban on the sale of old fashioned, incandescent light bulbs would contravene EU law - before modifying its message to suggest that such a move would not be "appropriate". Today's decision casts both opinions into serious doubt.

Responding to the news, Greenpeace climate campaigner Louise Molloy said: "By banning all wasteful lightbulbs within months, Ireland has shown the rest of Europe that it's serious about energy efficiency and fighting climate change. Meanwhile the UK government talks tough but then introduces weak voluntary agreements that won't even come into effect until 2011. We can't rely on industry to deliver this- the Government has to act."[1]

Retailers have told Greenpeace that without actual legislation, there is nothing forcing manufacturers to meet a higher demand for energy efficient, Compact Fluorescent (CFL), bulbs. Lightbulb manufacturers such as Philips, GE and Osram are trying to keep incandescent bulbs in the shops until 2019. [2] Every year of delay in ‘banning the bulb' will see Europe unnecessarily pumping 20 million tonnes of climate-changing carbon dioxide into the air. [4]

Over the past year, a number of EU countries have talked about similar bans, but Ireland is the first to act. Last month, French President Sarkozy declared his support for a 2010 national ban but concrete proposals have not been published yet. The Dutch Environment Minister Jacqueline Cramer, a former Philips employee, announced initial support for a phase-out of incandescent lightbulbs in 2011 but then reversed her opinion. [3] Cramer now supports the manufacturers' call for a prolonged phase out lasting until 2019.

Contact Greenpeace UK press office on 0207 865 8255

Notes to Editors

A 20-watt CFL (compact fluorescent) bulb gives as much light as a 100-watt conventional (incandescent) bulb, lasts up to 12 times longer, and will save consumers around £9 a year in electricity costs - easily outdoing any purchase price cost saving.

Using Government figures, Greenpeace has calculated that the UK could save 5.1 million tones of Co2 per year by banning incandescent light bulbs - the equivalent emissions of the 26 lowest emitting countries combined - and enough energy to close one large sized power station.

[1] Greenpeace is campaigning for governments to ban energy wasting incandescent lightbulbs. Earlier this week Greenpeace activists delivered over 10.000 signatures to the Irish Minister of Environment and hung a banner on Dublin's Monument of Light saying 'Ban the bulb'. Full story

[2] Lightbulb manufacturer's position paper

[3] http://www.energieraad.nl/newsitem.asp?pageid=1492

[4] CEO Philips Lighting, speech at 07/12/06

Greenpeace today congratulated the high street chain Woolworths after the group announced that power crazy, incandescent light bulbs would not be available in its stores by the end of 2010. From that date only highly efficient, compact fluorescent (CFL) bulbs will be on sale.

The Woolworths announcement puts the chain significantly ahead of a recently announced Government voluntary initiative, which would see major retailers remove all incandescent lightbulbs only by December 2011. A Greenpeace league table also shows that Woolworths are now ahead of many of their competitors - see www.greenpeace.org.uk/bulbsleaguetable.

Louise Molloy, climate campaigner at Greenpeace, said: "It's great news that Woolworths have taken the decision to stop selling power crazy lightbulbs by 2010. At the beginning of our campaign, Woolworths clearly emerged as the least progressive retailer on this issue. This decision now positions them with the leaders of the pack. However, we do need to do more. The retail industry must lobby the government for a mandatory phase out of incandescent bulbs - a voluntary agreement just won't be enough to ensure these power crazy bulbs become a thing of the past."

Woolworths has been the subject of an ongoing campaign, orchestrated by Greenpeace, which culminated in the delivery of thousands of signatures to Woolworth's head office last month. In July, Greenpeace volunteers around the country "seized the light" and removed bulbs from store shelves in major cities including Cardiff, Birmingham, Southampton, Leeds, London, Manchester and Edinburgh. Photos of this action are available from the Greenpeace press office.

Greenpeace has been urging Woolworths to "ban the bulb" since the beginning of the year. Old fashioned, incandescent lightbulbs waste 95 per cent of the energy that they use as heat. If every UK retailer was to stop selling incandescent bulbs we would save enough energy to close an entire large power station.

NOTES TO EDITORS

In a letter to Greenpeace, Woolworths recently announced that they "will not be selling incandescent light bulbs by the end of 2010. We will stop replenishing stock of incandescent light bulbs in 2010 to meet this pledge and as such sales in 2010 will be very low."

A 20-watt CFL gives as much light as a 100-watt conventional bulb, lasts up to 12 times longer, and will save consumers around £9 a year per bulb in electricity costs.

For more information please contact the Greenpeace Press office on 0207 865 8255.