From August 2023, retailers in the EU will only be allowed to sell remaining stocks of conventional T5 and T8 fluorescent tubes. After that, these can only be purchased as LED tubes. This is intended to further reduce the mercury contained in the old tubes and promote the use of environmentally friendly LED lamps.
Fluorescent tubes
PCBs in old capacitors
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were until the 90s as insulating agents in old capacitors, fluorescent lamps, household appliances, paints, plastics and plasticizers. They continue to pose a health risk today. In many cases, old devices such as fluorescent tubes with PCB-contaminated small capacitors are still in use. The harmful PCB-contaminated insulating fluid can leak out of these.