Ban on fluorescent tubes – get help with LED upgrade

The well-known fluorescent tubes T5 and T8 will be phased out at the end of August. Hans Buch assists the industry and transport sector with sustainable and durable LED alternatives.

From August 24, 2023, manufacturers and importers are no longer allowed to place new units of the fluorescent tubes T5 and T8 on the EU market, while a ban on the fluorescent unit CFL (also known as the energy-saving bulb) is already in place.

In other words, it’s only a matter of time before stocks are depleted in the EU, and all businesses and private households no longer have T5, T8, and CFL on the premises.

Hans Buch assists with the transition to LED

At Hans Buch, we help customers in the industry, railways, and marine sector with robust LED lighting, which is resistant to impacts, vibrations, as well as very low and high temperatures.

See Hans Buch’s selection of LED tubes and LED floodlights here, which were originally developed and benefit Hans Buch’s marine and offshore customers. But it will also, for example, benefit DSB’s InterCity3 trains, after Hans Buch won a large tender earlier this summer.

On the Energy Agency’s website SparEnergi.dk you can also calculate what your company can expect to receive in subsidies for switching to LED lighting.

Demanding environments call for durable LED solutions

The range of LED lighting from Hans Buch is designed to withstand heavy impacts, shocks, and vibrations, making it particularly suitable for harsh environments.

Read more: “LED tubes withstand many knocks – see the proof here“

The LED tubes and LED floodlights also withstand extreme weather conditions with temperatures from -30 to +50 degrees Celsius and a waterproof rating classified as IP66 and IP67. Additionally, the range also includes a special LED floodlight for explosive areas, such as technical rooms and engine rooms.

The lighting installations can be delivered with several customer-specific adjustments for brightness and beam angle according to individual needs.

Get a green and profitable business case calculated

At Hans Buch, we don’t just push products over the counter. Here, the sales and engineering house also contributes with guidance and calculations to illustrate how good a business case LED upgrades can be for your company.

A customer in Hans Buch’s marine division upgraded 1246 fluorescent tubes and 162 incandescent bulbs to LED. Thanks to the energy savings from LED lighting, the investment was paid back after seven months, while CO2 emissions achieved a reduction of 150,800 kg per year.

Read more: “LED lighting provides significant savings for economy and CO2 emissions“

LED-lit growth cabinets provide fresh greens on the menu

Last but not least, Hans Buch offers hydroponic food cultivation as a distributor for the Danish-owned Aerospring Hydroponics. The solution includes growth cabinets with LED lighting for growing fruits and vegetables.

The solutions provide both resource savings and faster harvest compared to conventional agriculture. Hydroponic cultivation is characterized by plants being grown without soil, saving up to 90% of water consumption, and fruits and vegetables are ready for harvest 30-50 percent faster.

Read more: “Beyond organic: Crew grows food in half the time“

LED replaces T5, T8, and CFL

The EU directive’s (RoHS) repeal of the exemption for fluorescent tubes occurs because it is now assessed that the more environmentally friendly LED technology is so available that it can replace and thus phase out fluorescent tubes and energy-saving bulbs.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency the EU estimates that the environment is spared 2.9 tons of mercury solely by replacing T5, T8, and CFL with LED alternatives.

What the RoHS directive says

RoHS is the abbreviation for Restriction of Hazardous Substances. It is an EU directive that prohibits and limits the amount of a number of hazardous substances in electronic devices and equipment that are harmful to the environment and health. This applies, for example, to lead, cadmium, chromium6, and thus mercury, which is used in the well-known fluorescent tubes T5 and T8.

Until now, the directive has provided time-limited exemptions to continue placing products on the market, including fluorescent tubes, due to the necessary functions they fulfill, in the absence of better and more environmentally friendly alternatives.

Earlier this year, the less mercury-containing fluorescent units CFL (Compact Fluorescent Lamps, also known as energy-saving bulbs) were made illegal to produce new units for the EU market. This happened on February 24, 2023.