Mercury and metal halide lamps used in fluorescence microscopy are scheduled to be phased out in the EU from February 2027 under RoHS regulations. This change affects many existing microscope illumination systems that rely on mercury or metal halide bulbs. Labs do not need to panic, but they should begin planning the transition to alternative fluorescence light sources such as LED illumination. To help laboratories understand what the phase-out means and what their options are, CoolLED has created a dedicated “No More Mercury” FAQs page covering timelines, microscope compatibility, and practical next steps.
The 2027 Mercury Lamp Phase-Out: What’s Actually Happening?
By now you may have heard some discussion around the upcoming phase-out of mercury and metal halide lamps used in fluorescence microscopy. The change is scheduled to take effect in February 2027 across the EU, marking the gradual end of a lighting technology that has supported microscope imaging for many years.
For some labs, this has already appeared on the horizon. For others, it may be brand new information. Either way, the topic is becoming increasingly relevant for anyone using mercury or metal halide microscope light sources.
If You’re Asking Questions, You’re Not Alone
When a technology that has been widely used for decades begins to disappear, it naturally raises a lot of questions.
Researchers, imaging specialists and facility managers often tell us they are wondering things like:
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What exactly is being phased out in February 2027?
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Does the mercury lamp ban affect all regions or only the EU?
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Will replacement mercury or metal halide bulbs still be available?
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What happens to existing fluorescence microscopes that rely on them?
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What alternative fluorescence light sources are available?
All perfectly reasonable questions.
The challenge is that information about the mercury lamp phase-out can be scattered across regulations, manufacturer notices and technical discussions. For scientists who simply want to get on with their work, it can be difficult to know where to start.
Which is why we decided to gather the most common questions we hear into one place.
A Simple Place to Start: The No More Mercury FAQs
To make things easier, we created a dedicated No More Mercury FAQs page that brings together the most common questions laboratories have about the upcoming transition.
Rather than diving into heavy regulatory detail, the goal is simply to provide clear explanations around topics such as:
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what the 2027 phase-out actually means
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how it affects fluorescence microscopy illumination
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what options labs may want to consider going forward
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and how facilities can start thinking about future-proofing their microscope setups.
For many labs, the most helpful step is simply understanding the landscape. Once the situation becomes clearer, planning the next steps becomes much easier.
If the phase-out is completely new to you, the FAQs page is a good starting point. If you’ve heard about it already but still have unanswered questions, it may help fill in a few gaps. And if your question isn’t covered, that’s perfectly fine too – contact us and start the conversation!
The No More Mercury campaign is ultimately about helping labs navigate the transition smoothly, and sometimes the best place to begin is simply by starting the conversation.
You can explore the FAQs here:
Written by Ben Furness / [email protected] / LinkedIn Profile
