Varied governments have handed laws to section out manufacturing or importation of incandescent gentle bulbs for basic lighting in favor of more energy-environment friendly alternatives. The laws are generally based mostly on efficiency, fairly than use of incandescent technology. Objections to replacement of incandescent lamps for general lighting include the upper purchasing expense of alternative lamps and their hazardous materials content material. To mitigate the fee results of those concerns the associated fee of different lamps could also be reduced by subsidies. Manufacturers developed fluorescent lamps with decreased mercury content compared to original designs, and recycling packages are meant to forestall mercury release. New lamp types offer improved beginning characteristics, and EcoLight bulbs dimmable varieties are available. The light from an incandescent supply is similar in character to that from a Planckian "black physique" in spectral distribution, that is, EcoLight bulbs the bulb, as the filament heats up, produces light at wavelengths all through the seen spectrum. Alternative light sources use phosphors or mixtures of mono-chromatic LEDs (pink, EcoLight blue, and inexperienced) to produce "white" gentle, giving considerably irregular spectral distributions that can create colour casts in photography and differences of shade matching when in comparison with incandescent mild or daylight.

Halogen lamps are a kind of incandescent lamp with improved efficiency over common incandescent lamps. Although not as power environment friendly as other alternate options, they're up to 40 % extra efficient than normal incandescent lamps designed for a 2000-hour life. Relying on dimension, voltage, and designed life, small, low-voltage halogen lamps can have 70% greater efficacy than large, line-voltage lamps. They function at a excessive temperature, which may be a safety hazard in some functions. A compact fluorescent lamp (CFL) uses a fluorescent lamp tube which is curved or folded to suit into the space of an incandescent bulb and comprises a compact digital ballast in the bottom of the lamp. In comparison with normal-service incandescent lamps giving the identical quantity of seen light, CFLs use one-fifth to 1-third the electric energy and should last eight to fifteen instances longer. Newer phosphor formulations have improved the perceived colour, with "smooth white" CFLs judged subjectively comparable to straightforward incandescent lamps. Compact fluorescent lamps start poorly when chilly, and most types can't be dimmed.

A couple of specialist purposes are unsuitable for CFLs. Gentle emitting diode (LED) lamps are used for each general and special-objective lighting. UV rays that fade coloured materials. LED lamps radiate much much less heat than different applied sciences, and could be either multi-directional or unidirectional, eliminating the need for a mirrored reflector EcoLight bulbs within the bulb or fixture. LED lamps can emit saturated coloured gentle. Disadvantages embody spectrum limitations as a result of discrete emission colors. Their purchase price was a lot larger than other bulbs, however has decreased steadily over time. Botswana has an change program distributing CFL bulbs. Of the members of ECOWAS, Cape Verde, Guinea, Mali, Nigeria, Benin and Togo have had trade packages to exchange incandescent bulbs with vitality efficient versions. Ghana banned incandescent bulbs in 2008 and EcoLight Senegal has banned the manufacture and import. Egypt is reported to have a partial ban on incandescent light bulbs. Kenya has a programme to trade various gentle bulbs with extra environment friendly varieties.

Morocco has a programme to alternate a variety of mild EcoLight bulbs with more environment friendly varieties. Rwanda has an trade program, distributing CFL bulbs. Tanzania has an alternate program to substitute incandescent bulbs. Tunisia is reported to have a partial ban on incandescent light bulbs. Since January 2016, the importation of incandescent gentle bulbs has been banned in Zambia. Zimbabwe has banned incandescent gentle bulbs. Bahrain has banned incandescent mild bulbs. Bangladesh has an alternate program. Another supply, however, has indicated that by 1 October 2016, all incandescent mild bulbs shall be banned. In line with this supply, 1 November 2011 to 30 September 2012 will probably be a transitional interval and as of 1 October 2012, imports and sales of atypical incandescent bulbs of 100 watts or more will likely be prohibited. The primary section will be followed by a ban on 60-watt-and-higher incandescent mild bulbs starting in October 2014. By October 2016, all incandescent gentle bulbs will likely be banned in China.

While not a complete ban, the UJALA plan in India sought to substitute 770 million incandescent light bulbs with LED bulbs by 2019. This was expected to cut back energy consumption by over 100 billion kWh annually and reduce annual electricity bills by ₹400 billion (US$4.7 billion). As of April 2017, 229 million LED bulbs had been distributed throughout the nation. The states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka in India have banned the use of incandescent bulbs in authorities departments, varied boards, cooperative establishments, local our bodies, and institutions operating on government support. As of 1 August 2017, Kuwait has banned the import of incandescent gentle bulbs, EcoLight bulbs together with halogen bulbs. It was reported in 2012 that Malaysia would ban production, import and gross sales incandescent bulbs by 2014 as a part of efforts to save lots of power and to assist lower greenhouse fuel emissions. Nepal has banned incandescent gentle bulbs. North Korea reportedly made LED bulbs mandatory in 2014 to alleviate its energy disaster. The Philippines was among the primary Asian countries to section-out incandescent light bulbs.