The United States Department of Energy (DOE) has issued draft guidance concerning medium base adapters enforcement, definitions and scope of coverage. Specifically, this addresses the following question:
Q: I have medium screw base adapters in stock that it is now illegal to distribute in commerce. Is it legal to distribute in commerce a medium base adapter that has been permanently secured onto another type of lamp so that the end result is a medium base lamp? Would that still be considered distribution in commerce of a medium screw base adapter?
The proposed guidelines reads:
A: If a manufacturer permanently secures a medium base adapter to a lamp that does not have a medium screw base, for example, a candelabra base lamp, so that the result is a medium screw base (E26) lamp, DOE does not consider distribution in commerce of the resulting lamp to be distribution of an adapter prohibited by EPCA. The resulting lamp would, however, be subject to any applicable efficiency standards.
For full details, read the draft and note that this is a draft document and does not represent a definitive view of the agency on the questions addressed.