EU orders greater transparency and quality for light sources

Incandescent lamps finally being phased out

On the basis of the so-called Ecodesign Directive, the EU is defining minimum technology-independent requirements on the efficiency of numerous everyday products. These requirements apply not only to refrigerators and washing machines, but as of September 1, 2009 also to incandescent lamps and other energy-intensive light sources. Switching to energy-efficient lighting can reduce energy consumption for lighting Europe-wide by as much as 30 percent. This would represent a saving of 160 billion kWh of electricity and would reduce European CO2 emissions by more than 60 million tons. And consumers stand to benefit from this financially, too. But there is more at stake here than cash savings and climate protection: with this move, the EU is also creating greater transparency and enhancing quality in the lamp sector, for example by introducing specifications for packaging information as of 2010.

Incandescent lamps with over 80 W (950 lm) – i.e. 100 W incandescent lamps in Germany – and all frosted lamps that do not conform to Energy Class A, may no longer be put into circulation as of September 2009. New lamps and wattages will then successively fall under the prohibition in annual stages. In 2012, the last incandescent lamps should then have disappeared from the shops entirely. Exceptions are lamps of up to 7 W,as well as all spot lamps and special-purpose lamps. A second EU ruling is expected to come into force in early 2010 governing spot lamps.

EU ruling applies exclusively to the bringing of lamps into circulation

Consumers who still have incandescent lamps after September 1, 2009 can of course continue to use them. And needless to say, retailers who still have stocks of incandescent lamps may sell them.

It is already worth switching directly to energy-efficient lamps today. Although the purchase price of an energy-saving lamp or a corresponding halogen lamp is initially more expensive than an incandescent lamp, energy-efficient lamps compensate for this right from the start with a significantly lower electricity consumption over their lifespan. A 100 W incandescent lamp (1,340 lumen) costs just under EUR 1, while a 22 W energy-saving lamp (1,140 lumen) with a comparable luminosity costs EUR 7. However, energy-saving lamps have a lifespan of up to 20,000 hours, while an incandescent lamp lasts just 1,000 hours. So you would need to buy 20 incandescent lamps in order to achieve the same lifespan as a single energy-saving lamp. Furthermore, the energy-saving lamp saves roughly EUR 265 in electricity over its entire lifespan, which is why a 22 W (1,140 lumen) energy-saving lamp pays off after just one year. Halogen Energy Saverscan also save you money: based on 39 lamps in a single family household, the annual savings come to some EUR 120.

Strong focus on consumer protection – more information on lamp packaging

The new EuP implementation measure for household lighting not only specifies product requirements, but also creates considerably more transparency for consumers when purchasing lamps. As of September 2010, manufacturers must provide important information about their lamps on the product packaging, such as the mercury content, light color, Wage, lumen valueand energy level. This will help consumers by providing a clear basis for comparison when choosing the right lamp for their needs. Indeed, OSRAM is even going a step further with its packaging design. OSRAM products already indicate which energy-efficient lamp is involved with color-coded packaging, using orange for energy-efficient halogen lamps, green for compact fluorescent lamps and pink for LED products. To provide an even better overview, the lifespan, light color and wattage of a comparable incandescent lamp are also indicated. And to avoid errors when choosing the right base, the base itself is visible through an opening in the bottom of the new eco-friendly blister packaging of OSRAM energy-saving lamps. In this way, consumers can not only see whether a particular product is the right choice for them, but can also test its function by placing the base in a special test station directly in the shop.

Clear regulations for lumen values

Another benefit for consumers: the EU lighting reform ensures that all lamps genuinely fulfill their claims. While the Wage (which in the past has always been printed on the packaging) always indicates a lumen range, e.g. a 100 W incandescent lamp corresponds to 1,340 lumen,the lumen value now specifies the precise luminous flux. OSRAM already specifies the lumen value on all of its packaging. Manufacturers who have not disclosed these values in the past will have to include the lumen value on their packaging from 2010.

Market supervision for quality control

In order to ensure that manufacturers actually comply with these new requirements, a market supervisory authority will control all lamps throughout Europe to the benefit of consumers. The supervisory bodies of the EU Member States will be responsible for this. They will test compliance with the regulations by performing the prescribed tests on 20 products of each category, after obtaining them from retailers. If the measured control values do not correspond to the specified requirements, and thus to the information on the packaging, the EU shall contact the manufacturer for the purpose of clarification.If the products are verifiably outside the permissible margin of fluctuation, they will have to be withdrawn from the market.

ABOUT OSRAM
OSRAM is part of the Industry sector of Siemens and one of the two leading lighting manufacturers in the world.Sales for the OSRAM group worldwide in the year ending September 30, 2008 totaled 4.6 billion euros, 88 percent of which came from outside Germany.OSRAM is a high-tech company in the lighting industry.Over 60 percent of sales come from energy-efficient products.This global player employs more than 43,500 people worldwide, supplies customers in some 150 countries and has 46 production facilities in 17 countries.

Press contact:

OSRAM

Nadine Müller
Tel: +49-89-6213-3769
Fax: +49-89-6213-3457
Email: nadine.mueller@osram.com