Dubai: Light bulbs that are not energy efficient will be banned across the country from mid-2013 as the Emirates Authority for Standardisation and Metrology (Esma) expands its range of efficiency standards to cover more electrical equipment and appliances.

The move will also affect washing machines and refrigerators.

The new standards will require all light bulbs sold and used in the country to be eco-friendly as per the rating system, which will be announced early next year.

Only the likes of compact fluorescent light bulbs and LED bulbs will fall into the approved category, under the ratings system currently being devised.

"We are covering different electrical equipment and appliances gradually on a priority basis and early next year we will announce the new set of appliances covered under the ratings system," said Mohammad Saleh Badri, acting director-general of Esma, speaking exclusively to Gulf News.

The authority is currently in discussions with different stake holders — including distributors, manufacturers as well as retailers of light bulbs — to study the impact of the ban and making sure all ends are covered before any such move is made.

Government subsidy

"We want to make sure nobody is adversely affected, most importantly the consumers. We don't want to put an additional burden on the consumers because of the ban on normal bulbs, so we are studying the impact of the ban and, if possible, we will [proceed with the ban] if the government can subsidise eco-friendly bulbs to bring the prices down," Badri elaborated.

To read more go to Gulf News