New EU ban to clean out inefficient vacuums

  Sales of inefficient vacuum cleaners have been banned under EU rules today. The new laws affect cleaning appliances using more than 900 watts and emitting more than 80 decibels. […]

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Sales of inefficient vacuum cleaners have been banned under EU rules today.

The new laws affect cleaning appliances using more than 900 watts and emitting more than 80 decibels.

Some anti-EU campaigners have claimed homes won’t be properly cleaned if people have to buy lower wattage machines, whereas other energy experts see no problem with the move.

The European Environment Bureau (EEB) said: “Power doesn’t always equal performance, though the misconception has become widespread.

“Some efficient models maintained high standards of dust pick-up while using significantly less energy – due to design innovation.”

A number of manufacturers reportedly increase power consumption deliberately, because shoppers equate high-wattage with easy cleaning.

The EU has said the ban could save up to 20TWh of electricity per year by 2020, equivalent to the annual household electricity consumption of Belgium.

The UK Climate Change Committee has suggested electricity demand is down 17% since 2008 thanks to tougher standards on energy efficiency in homes and appliances.

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