Energy saving light bulbs 'make more sense than ever'

Published on Friday, 09 September 2011 15:14

Posted by Scott Buckler

Energy saving light bulbs are still a sensible buy, even if they have risen in price, Friends of the Earth (FOE) has said

Sales of basic 60-watt light bulbs will end at the end of August and reports claim that already the price of the energy saving product has risen.

Low-energy Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs) contain expensive rare earth elements and growing demand for the material, particularly from China, has driven up the price.

However, Michael Warhurst, senior waste campaigner at FOE, said: "Energy saving light bulbs are great value for households - they last around ten times longer than wasteful old-style bulbs and use three-quarters less energy to produce the same amount of light.

"With electricity costs soaring, energy-saving bulbs make more sense than ever - and they have dropped in price in the past few years."

Addressing the issue of the growing cost of raw materials, he said that as the bulbs are recyclable, manufacturers can re-use materials to help keep prices down.

Source: EST