Image: Jaana Polamo / Yle

The days are numbered for many halogen lamps in Finland, after a ban on the production and import of several varieties of the lights went into effect across the EU on Saturday.

The types of halogen lamps on the ban list include the common pear-shaped E27 models as well as the smaller E14 bulbs.

However, the ban does not affect certain types of halogens, like ones used in construction-lamp spotlights and the small bulbs found in desk lights, lighting fixtures and other lamps.

The ban on halogens was first announced in 2009 - when the ban on old fashioned incandescent bulbs started - and was originally supposed to go into effect in 2016.

But the halogen ban was pushed forward in order to give Europeans more time to switch from old-fashioned incandescent lights to more energy-efficient LEDs.

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Image: Mårten Lampén / Yle

When the incandescent bulb ban went into effect in 2009 many consumers chose to replace them with halogen lamps rather than LEDs, because they were cheaper and had similar "warm" lighting effect similar to that of old fashioned bulbs.

However, halogen bulbs consume significantly more electricity than their LED counterparts.

Once the banned halogen bulbs are replaced with LEDs, it is estimated that European Union countries will save a total of some 10 terawatt hours of electricity per year, or roughly the annual electricity consumption of the country of Estonia.

The EU's halogen ban is the final step of an initiative to get European households to use more energy-efficient lighting solutions.

Smaller halogen lamps not affected

Stores are permitted to sell remaining stock of the affected halogen bulbs, so consumers will still be able to get them until they're sold out.

Halogen lamps used in table lamps, spotlights, kitchen fixtures as well as ovens that use them are not affected by the ban.

The ban also does not affect low-voltage (12v) halogen lamps sometimes used to light areas like bathrooms and other parts of the home.

When the ban on incandescent lamps went into effect nearly a decade ago, many consumers were displeased with the quality of light produced by the more energy-efficient LED alternatives. LEDs were also considerably more expensive at the time.

However since then, technology advances made LEDs nearly indistinguishable from traditional bulbs. Packaging on LED lamps includes information on the bulb's light temperature, time it takes for the lamp to reach full brightness as well as its estimated lifespan.

LEDs are also more affordable than they were in 2009. The halogens are still more affordable than LEDs but have a much shorter lifespan.

LED lamps can last between 10-20 years while a halogen light bulb has an estimated lifespan of only 3-4 years.