Energy Efficiency & Climate Change Law

With the goal of making it easier for consumers to decide which light bulb to choose through providing clear, easily understandable information, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has proposed new labeling requirements for “lamps,” commonly known as light bulbs, in response to section 321 of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007.  Section 321 requires the Commission to consider the effectiveness of current bulb labeling requirements and to explore alternative labeling approaches.

As traditional incandescent light bulbs are being phased out, new energy efficient technologies are emerging, including compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs (see image on the upper right-hand corner of this blog) and light-emitting diode (LED) products.

The FTC’s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking seeks comment on new labels that emphasize lumens, not watts, as the measure of bulb brightness. This information, along with estimated energy cost information, would appear on the front of the light bulb package.  The back of the package would display a “Lighting Facts” label modeled after the “Nutrition Facts” label for food packages.

The Lighting Facts label would provide information about brightness, energy cost, the bulb’s expected life, color temperature (for example, whether the bulb provides “warm” or “cool” light), as well as wattage. The label also would require disclosures for bulbs containing mercury.  The bulb’s output in lumens – and a mercury disclosure for bulbs that contain mercury – would also have to be placed on the bulb itself.