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Halogen and CFLs to be banned in Europe

As standard tungsten halogen lamps have an efficiency of around 25 lm/W while compact fluorescent lamps with ballasts can reach just 60 lm/W, both technologies will be outlawed by the new regulations.

DRAFT European regulations will see the effective banning of both tungsten halogen and compact fluorescent as light sources by 2020.

A minimum efficiency requirement of 85 lumens per watt and a maximum standby power of 0.5W on all light sources is set to come into force as part of a review of the Ecodesign laws.

Compact fluorescent lamps were marketed as environmentally friendly, but they were a grudge purchase in the residential sector and the presence of mercury was cited by the technology's many critics

As standard tungsten halogen lamps have an efficiency of around 25 lm/W while compact fluorescent lamps with ballasts can reach just 60 lm/W, both technologies will be outlawed by the new regulations.

The Ecodesign laws are commonly known as the ‘Bulb Ban’, the phasing out of inefficient light sources in the European Union. The laws have progressively banned incandescent sources in recent years and this coming September sees the phasing out of non-directional halogen bulbs, including candles, GLS, globe and golf ball shapes.

The removal of compact fluorescent lamps from the market is highly symbolic, as the light source came to represent environmentally-friendly lighting in the 1990s. However, while CLF made in-roads in commercial applications, householders never took it to their hearts, and many complained about cool colour temperatures and long run-up times. The presence of mercury also came to be seen as its Achille’s heel, as it undermined the technology’s green credentials.

While few will mourn the loss of CFL, a campaign to fight the removal of tungsten halogen has already been launched by the live entertainment industry. The move - dubbed Save Stage Lighting – has been launched by the Association of Lighting Designers, whose members work in theatres and live events.

The draft of the new regulations also propose a return to the days of lighting fixtures with replaceable lamps. Under the current wording, luminaire makers will have make the light source removable and replaceable from the fitting by September 2020. It states that ‘manufacturers and importers shall ensure that light sources and separate control gears in scope of this Regulation can be readily removed without permanent mechanical damage by the end-user.

The proposals, if adopted, have major implications for how lights are made.

• A detailed presentation  on the proposals will be included in the Lighting Fixture Design 2018 conference, which takes place on Wednesday 20 June and Thursday 21 June 2018. Organised by Lux and LEDs Magazine, the event takes place at the Cavendish Conference Centre in London. For more information and to reserve you place, click HERE.