The days are still short, and we rely on artificial light in the mornings and evenings.

What is the situation in your home? Have you already switched to environmentally friendly LED light bulbs, or are you one of those who still use a colorful mix of lamps in your household, including perhaps some energy guzzlers and environmental pollutants? We will show you how to recognize the differences between the light bulbs available on the market and what their advantages and disadvantages are.

First, let's clarify a few terms. A luminaire is the entire construction around a light source, including components such as the holder, socket, reflector, and shade. In technical terminology, a lamp refers to the actual light source within a luminaire. Until a few years ago, most luminaires were fitted with the familiar incandescent bulbs, colloquially known as light bulbs. Due to the wide range of new lighting technologies, the term "lamp" is often too general, and the term "light source" now precisely defines the actual light source.

Incandescent lamps

Incandescent bulbs are all electric lamps whose light comes from a tungsten wire that is heated to a high temperature and thus glows. Unfortunately, most of the radiation escapes as heat. Due to this inefficiency, most incandescent bulbs have not been approved for sale by the EU since 2009, at least as new products. Although incandescent bulbs were inexpensive to purchase at around €1, their service life is only up to 1,000 hours, or approximately one year. They can be disposed of in the residual waste.

Halogen bulbs

Halogen bulbs are also incandescent bulbs, but halogen bromine or iodine is added to the protective gas surrounding the tungsten filament. They provide a particularly bright light, which is why halogen lights are especially recommended for work areas, such as desks or kitchens. Their light is perceived as "cold." In addition, there is a strong glare effect when looking directly into a halogen lamp. Due to their high energy consumption, halogen lamps are also considered obsolete. Their service life is specified as 2,000–4,000 operating hours, approximately two to four years. They should be disposed of with residual waste.

Compact fluorescent lamps are low-pressure mercury vapor lamps and were marketed under the name "energy-saving lamps." Similar to fluorescent tubes, a gas discharge takes place in the tube. The tube is reduced in diameter, shortened, coiled, or folded multiple times to save space. Hence the term "compact." Energy-saving lamps consume less energy than incandescent and halogen lamps. Because they contain toxic mercury, just like tubular fluorescent lamps, their export, import, and manufacture within the EU has been prohibited since December 31, 2018. However, remaining stocks of energy-saving light bulbs are still available in stores. Their average service life is stated as between 3,000 and 15,000 hours. A disadvantage is that energy-saving light bulbs have a warm-up phase and need time to reach their full luminosity. They must be disposed of at a hazardous waste collection point. Only then can the mercury be separated and the lamp glass recycled. When transporting them, take care to ensure that the lamp is not damaged and that no mercury escapes.

LED light bulbs

LED is the light bulb of choice. Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are used to generate light. You can expect a long service life of at least 15,000 hours for inexpensive LEDs and up to 50,000 hours for high-priced LEDs. Despite an average purchase price of €13, LEDs are the most affordable light bulbs. The savings potential of an LED is obvious: at the same brightness, an LED consumes approx. 85-90% less electricity than an incandescent bulb and 80-85% less than a halogen bulb. With an energy consumption of 6 kWh / 1,000 hours, they are the most energy-efficient option of all light sources. LEDs are bright immediately after being switched on, are insensitive to frequent switching on and off, and have the highest luminous efficacy of all types of lighting. High vibration and shock resistance is another advantage. They are disposed of as part of the used lamp recycling process. This allows some of the raw materials used to be recovered, in particular aluminum (heat sinks) and copper (winding materials).