LIA Response To The Government Press Release On New Lighting Regulations

Lighting Industry Association (LIA) logo The Government has issued a press release outlining the impact of the upcoming new lighting regulations. The press release contains a number of errors which is causing confusion among suppliers and consumers alike.

To clarify the situation, the Lighting Industry Association has released the following statement:

The UK legislation, due for publication in the summer, mirrors that also applying in the EU and relates to the “placing on the market” of products, this allows products in stock at manufacturers, retailers etc. to continue to be sold until stocks are exhausted. It is not an instant sales ban!



Note: there is a legal definition of ‘placing on the market’ which may mean that certain goods in suppliers’ warehouses are already considered as such.

The proposed UK legislation which applies from 1st September is expected to have a one month transition allowance.

The following lamps cannot be placed on the market after 1st October 2021:

  • Self‑ballasted Compact Fluorescent retrofit lamps (caps B22, E27 etc)
  • Linear Halogen R7s lamps over 2,700 lumens
  • 12V Halogen reflectors lamps (MR11/GU4, MR16/GU5.3 etc)
  • Lower performing LED lamps

The following lamps cannot be placed on the market after 1st September 2023:

  • Linear fluorescent lamps T8 2 foot, 4 foot, 5 foot
  • Mains voltage Halogen capsules with G9 cap
  • 12V Halogen capsules with G4/GY6.35 cap

Note: there are several exemptions in the regulations for specialist lamps and applications.

Lighting fixtures/fittings (luminaires) with non‑replaceable/fixed lamps are not banned but this type of design is being discouraged in the future with a technical justification being required for these designs.

The following errors in the Government press release are those leading to the confusion:

Halogen light bulbs to be banned from this September – with fluorescent light bulbs to follow suit

This suggests that all halogen lamps are banned from this September‑ this is not the case, some will continue until 2023. Those lamps that are banned from September 1st may still be available for sale if they were first placed on the market before that date.

Legislation being brought forward this month will also include the removal of fluorescent lights from shelves from September 2023.

This is also not the case, only some lengths of T8 fluorescent lamps will be banned from September 2023, other types of fluorescent lamps will still be available.

The new legislation would mean retailers will no longer be able to sell the majority of halogen bulbs for general household use in the UK from 1 September.

This is incorrect, retailers will be able to sell through existing stocks and any products placed on the market before 1st September may also be sold. Some types will continue to be allowed after 1st September (as above).

The plans also include a ban from September on the sale of lighting fixtures with fixed bulbs that can’t be replaced – meaning the fixtures have to be thrown away.

This is misleading – new measures have been introduced which encourage the design of light fittings which can be repaired, or the light source and control gear replaced. There is not a blanket ban on lighting products where these components cannot be replaced if the manufacturer provides a technical justification for this case such as safety, water ingress or other reason.

The LIA has communicated these errors to the Government department responsible for the press release.

www.thelia.org.uk

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