Reform of the RoHS Directive 2011/65/EU.
EU directive ensures early phase-out of low-pressure discharge lamps –
and someday later for high-pressure discharge lamps.
Due to the changes in RoHS, fluorescent lamps for general lighting have been forced off the market earlier and to a much greater extent than envisaged by the Single Lighting Regulation (2019/2020/EU). This is because the exemption regulations have been changed in the directive: The previous exemptions under the RoHS Directive (2011/65/EU) will expire 12 and 18 months after the amendments come into force, and only the exemptions for T9 ring lamps and special applications will be extended once again.
An application for extension will soon be submitted to the EU Commission for high-intensity discharge lamps, for another five years for metal halide lamps, and for three years for sodium vapor lamps. In practice, this means that from then on, the status quo will remain in place—that is, nothing will happen until the matter is decided and a new regulation comes into force.
What does RoHS regulate and what are the effects of the current changes?
RoHS controls and restricts potentially hazardous substances such as lead, cadmium and mercury in electronic devices. Since discharge lamps do not work without mercury, they have been listed as exemptions in the current version of the directive so far – for certain lamp types or families with a maximum value in each case. The list of exemptions is regularly revised, resulting in individual exemptions being extended, expiring and/or the respective maximum value for the mercury content being adjusted. For high-intensity discharge lamps, the maximum exemption period of 5 years has been set again for the individual lamp types with this revision – including the option of a further extension. Lighting Europe has already submitted this request.
Due to the RoHS restrictions, fluorescent lamps for general lighting – i.e. T8, T5 and CFL lamps – were threatened with extinction even before the deadline of September 01, 2023 set by the Single Lighting Regulation had been reached. Products manufactured thereafter may no longer bear the conformity marking (CE mark) and for our products this means that from February or August 2023 the following lamps may no longer be brougth into market (warehouse stock can still be sold, but is already practically empty):
Products that do not comply with the current RoHS requirements may not bear the CE marking and thus may not be made available to the European market.
Products that bear the CE marking are therefore RoHS-compliant and have got a corresponding declaration of conformity.
Product | Expiration date | Directive | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Compact fluorescent lamps without integrated ballast | February 25, 2023 | 2022/276 | ||
| T5 fluorescent tubes triphosphor | August 25, 2023 | 2022/284 | ||
| T8 fluorescent tubes triphosphor | August 25, 2023 | |||
| Fluorescent tubes white, standard / halophosphate | February 25, 2023 | 2022/280 |
Retailers and end consumers should prepare for the end of those lamps
Products already in stock at the cut-off date may still be sold by retailers, however, our warehouse is now practically empty.
Otherwise, we recommend that you upgrade to suitable LED tubes. These offer more and more advantages in comparison with fluorescent tubes now:
LEDs have a significantly lower energy consumption – so you save up to 60% energy with Radium LED tubes. In addition, they are particularly durable with a service life of 60,000 hours. In contrast to the fluorescent lamp, the LED variant offers a fast, flicker-free start and, in addition, has got a high luminous flux especially at low ambient temperatures and a homogeneous light distribution .
We now also supply LED replacements for dimmable and emergency power-compatible T5 and T8 tubes!
Our tip:
You can find out which replacement types are suitable for you with our LEDs Save online tool!
Helpful links and downloads
- Information on mercury and its use in discharge lamps
- RoHS: Restriction of the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment
Regulation No. 2011/65/EU - Impact of RoHS on Radium Products (General Overview)
- Overview LED replacement for T8 tubes
- Overview LED replacement for T5 tubes
- Overview LED replacement for ring-shaped tubes
- Overview LED replacement for compact fluorescent lamps
- Overview LED replacement for HID lamps ≤ 400W
- Further product specific downloads around RoHS can be found here.