Halogen and CFLs to be banned in Europe

LUX

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.

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.

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