The EU RoHS exemption for mercury in fluorescent lamps comes to an end on 24 February 2027.
Start planning now to reduce uncertainty around bulb supply, downtime and future system support.
That’s not marketing spin. Independent testing found substantially lower energy use and projected running costs compared with an established metal halide system.
Green Light Laboratories, September 2026. 25,000-hour comparison. Actual savings will vary by facility.
See the independent evidence ↓From 24 February 2027, replacement mercury and metal halide lamps are expected to become much harder to purchase in the EU as RoHS exemptions expire. Existing systems can still be used, but labs should plan how they will source bulbs or transition to LED illumination.
What’s changing: You can keep using existing systems, but from 24 February 2027 the sale/import of new mercury-based replacement lamps into the EU is expected to be heavily restricted as RoHS exemptions expire.
What’s not changing: your existing system doesn’t become illegal overnight.
Why act now: shortages, rising costs, and downtime risk will increase as 2027 approaches.
In simple terms: you won’t be forced to switch your system off but replacing bulbs will get harder, slower, and more expensive.
Mercury and metal halide bulbs have lit up labs for decades, but their time is nearly over.
While existing systems will not be switched off overnight, the ability to purchase and replace mercury-based bulbs will become increasingly restricted from 2027.
Some are framing it as a ‘mercury bulb ban’ but mercury lamps won’t be illegal to use after 2027, it’s more a case that new bulbs will no longer be manufactured or placed onto the market, and will become increasingly hard to source and vastly more expensive than they are now.
By 24th February 2027, mercury-based illumination will no longer be a viable long-term option for most laboratories.
In simple terms: you won’t be forced to turn your system off, but replacing mercury bulbs will become increasingly difficult and unreliable after February 2027.
This page is for laboratories, OEMs, system builders, and facilities using mercury or metal halide illumination who need to understand what’s changing and how to prepare. You don’t need to change everything today. You just need a plan.
The 2027 phase-out isn’t about whether you’re “allowed” to use your current microscope or inspection system. It’s about the availability of mercury-containing lamps and replacement bulbs, which impacts any workflow that still relies on mercury or metal halide illumination regardless of the application.
The phase-out affects Life Sciences, Materials Science and Industrial Inspection applications, including fluorescence microscopy, microscopy and analysis, machine vision, semiconductor inspection and metrology.
Many fluorescence microscopes still use mercury or metal halide lamps. Tighter bulb supply may mean higher costs, longer lead times and disruption to routine imaging.
Long imaging and analysis workflows rely on consistent, homogeneous illumination. Limited bulb availability could affect testing continuity and repeatability.
Inspection systems depend on uptime and stable output. Ageing lamps and uncertain supply may increase downtime risk and long-term support challenges.
Use our quick Mercury Transition & Replacement Checker to assess how prepared your facility is for the phase-out.
Answer a few simple questions about your current equipment, replacement-bulb stock, applications and operational risks. You’ll receive a clearer picture of your current exposure, the systems you may need to prioritise and the type of LED replacement that could suit your requirements.
It’s a useful first step if you haven’t yet audited your equipment or aren’t sure where to begin.
Answer a small number of questions to estimate your facility's transition exposure and create a practical summary you can send to CoolLED.
Question 1 of 4
Your transition assessment and continuity position have already been added to this enquiry. Complete the short form below and our team will review the automated result against your actual facility, microscope and workflow.
Your completed assessment will appear here.
The checker provides an initial guide only. CoolLED or an authorised reseller must confirm product suitability, microscope compatibility, optical performance, control requirements and final configuration before purchase, specification or validation.
Going mercury-free isn’t just about compliance. It’s about sustainability and smarter science.
The ACT Label (Accountability, Consistency, Transparency) is often described as a “nutrition label for lab equipment.” It is managed by My Green Lab and independently verified by a third party. Products are scored on manufacturing, energy and water use, packaging, end-of-life disposal, and corporate responsibility. Achieving certification shows that CoolLED products meet strict environmental standards across their full lifecycle.
EcoVadis provides one of the world’s most trusted business sustainability ratings. Companies are assessed across four themes: Environment, Labour & Human Rights, Ethics, and Sustainable Procurement. Earning a Silver medal places CoolLED in the top 15% of companies assessed worldwide, recognising our ongoing efforts to improve environmental and social responsibility across our entire business. You can view our official assessment here
We’ve been pioneering mercury-free LED Illumination since 2006 – reducing energy use, cutting waste, and eliminating hazardous materials. We understand the realities of replacing mercury and metal halide because we’ve been doing it for nearly 20 years, across routine fluorescence, advanced imaging, and demanding facility environments. We’ve helped thousands of users transition by matching illumination to their stains/fluorophores, microscope platforms, control requirements, and uptime needs. It’s not about forcing a change overnight, it’s about future-proofing performance and availability with a proven alternative.
Moving away from an established mercury or metal halide system can feel daunting, particularly when the equipment you already have is still doing its job.
Planning ahead doesn’t mean replacing everything tomorrow. It means understanding your options now, while you still have time to make the change on your own terms.
Leave it too late and the decision may be made for you. Bulb availability is expected to become increasingly uncertain, and laboratories that haven’t planned ahead could find themselves looking for replacements at exactly the same time as everybody else.
Talk to the CoolLED team about your current microscope, illumination system and what a practical transition could look like.
Need something a little different?
For manufacturers who wish to gain a competitive advantage through bright, stable and controllable illumination, CoolLED’s world-renowned LED technology is available in customised configurations.
Did you know that LED illumination systems help laboratories reduce their carbon footprint, protecting laboratory staff along the way?
Toxic mercury-based microscope illuminators are bad news for the environment, draw a lot of power and have a short lifetime.
LED illumination systems are cleaner, have a long lifetime and use less power. Our pE-300 Series is also ACT label certified and is a natural choice for labs who want to play their part in helping the environment.
At CoolLED we are committed to giving our customers outstanding service right from the start and throughout the lifetime of the product. Please get in touch if you have any questions or would like a quote. You can also browse our site for technical resources and general support.
