Varied governments have handed laws to section out manufacturing or importation of incandescent gentle bulbs for common lighting in favor of extra vitality-environment friendly alternate options. The rules are generally based mostly on effectivity, fairly than use of incandescent technology. Objections to alternative of incandescent lamps for normal lighting embrace the higher purchasing expense of other lamps and their hazardous materials content. To mitigate the cost effects of these considerations the cost of alternative lamps may be lowered by subsidies. Manufacturers developed fluorescent lamps with reduced mercury content in comparison with unique designs, and recycling programs are meant to forestall mercury launch. New lamp sorts offer improved beginning traits, and EcoLight outdoor dimmable types can be found. The sunshine from an incandescent source is similar in character to that from a Planckian "black physique" in spectral distribution, that is, the bulb, because the filament heats up, produces mild at wavelengths all through the seen spectrum. Alternative gentle sources use phosphors or combinations of mono-chromatic LEDs (purple, blue, and inexperienced) to produce "white" gentle, giving significantly irregular spectral distributions that may create colour casts in pictures and differences of color matching when compared to incandescent light or daylight.

Halogen lamps are a type of incandescent lamp with improved efficiency over regular incandescent lamps. Though not as energy environment friendly as other alternatives, they're up to forty p.c more environment friendly than normal incandescent lamps designed for a 2000-hour life. Depending on dimension, EcoLight voltage, and designed life, small, low-voltage halogen lamps can have 70% higher efficacy than large, line-voltage lamps. They function at a excessive temperature, which may be a safety hazard in some purposes. A compact fluorescent lamp (CFL) makes use of a fluorescent lamp tube which is curved or folded to fit into the house of an incandescent bulb and incorporates a compact digital ballast in the bottom of the lamp. Compared to basic-service incandescent lamps giving the same amount of visible mild, CFLs use one-fifth to 1-third the electric power and will final eight to fifteen instances longer. Newer phosphor formulations have improved the perceived coloration, with "smooth white" CFLs judged subjectively comparable to straightforward incandescent lamps. Compact fluorescent lamps start poorly when cold, and most sorts can't be dimmed.

A few specialist applications are unsuitable for CFLs. Mild emitting diode (LED) lamps are used for each common and particular-goal lighting. UV rays that fade coloured supplies. LED lamps radiate a lot less heat than different technologies, and may be either multi-directional or unidirectional, eliminating the necessity for a mirrored reflector in the bulb or fixture. LED lamps can emit saturated colored light. Disadvantages embody spectrum limitations resulting from discrete emission colours. Their buy price was a lot higher than different bulbs, but has decreased steadily over the years. Botswana has an exchange program distributing CFL bulbs. Of the members of ECOWAS, Cape Verde, Guinea, Mali, Nigeria, Benin and Togo have had exchange packages to substitute incandescent bulbs with energy efficient variations. Ghana banned incandescent bulbs in 2008 and Senegal has banned the manufacture and import. Egypt is reported to have a partial ban on incandescent gentle bulbs. Kenya has a programme to alternate various mild bulbs with more efficient sorts.

Morocco has a programme to exchange a number of gentle bulbs with extra environment friendly sorts. Rwanda has an exchange program, distributing CFL bulbs. Tanzania has an exchange program to replace incandescent bulbs. Tunisia is reported to have a partial ban on incandescent gentle bulbs. Since January 2016, the importation of incandescent gentle bulbs has been banned in Zambia. Zimbabwe has banned incandescent light bulbs. Bahrain has banned incandescent mild bulbs. Bangladesh has an alternate program. Another source, nonetheless, has indicated that by 1 October 2016, all incandescent gentle bulbs will likely be banned. Based on this source, 1 November 2011 to 30 September 2012 shall be a transitional interval and EcoLight outdoor as of 1 October 2012, imports and sales of odd incandescent bulbs of a hundred watts or extra might be prohibited. The primary part will likely be adopted by a ban on 60-watt-and-higher incandescent light bulbs beginning in October 2014. By October 2016, all incandescent mild bulbs can be banned in China.

Whereas not a whole ban, the UJALA plan in India sought to substitute 770 million incandescent mild bulbs with LED bulbs by 2019. This was anticipated to reduce power consumption by over 100 billion kWh annually and cut back annual electricity payments by ₹400 billion (US$4.7 billion). As of April 2017, 229 million LED bulbs had been distributed across the nation. The states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka in India have banned using incandescent bulbs in government departments, varied boards, cooperative institutions, local bodies, and institutions running on authorities aid. As of 1 August 2017, Kuwait has banned the import of incandescent gentle bulbs, including halogen bulbs. It was reported in 2012 that Malaysia would ban production, import and gross sales incandescent bulbs by 2014 as part of efforts to save energy and to assist lower greenhouse gas emissions. Nepal has banned incandescent gentle bulbs. North Korea reportedly made LED bulbs obligatory in 2014 to alleviate its power disaster. The Philippines was amongst the primary Asian international locations to section-out incandescent gentle bulbs.