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EU regulation – no more lamp projectors from January 1st, 2026!
SPECIAL: EU regulation – no more lamp projectors from January 1st, 2026!
Published onJanuary 1, 2024 by Michael B. Rehders
The EU regulation EU 2017/852 is tough! From January 1, 2026, many products containing mercury may no longer be manufactured, imported or exported. This also applies to our beloved home theater projectors. In this special, I'll look at what exactly that means and what alternatives there are.
Photo: Michael B. Rehders - From January 1, 2026, projector lamps containing mercury may no longer be manufactured, imported or exported in the EU.
Mercury is harmful to health
Mercury is a toxic element that poses significant health risks to humans. As a neurotoxin, it causes permanent kidney and brain damage. In addition, it affects fetal and early childhood development. Therefore, it has been classified by the EU as life-threatening if inhaled, harmful to organs and the environment.
Given the dangers that mercury poses to people and the environment, the EU developed a mercury strategy in 2005, which was revised in 2010. The goal is to replace harmful mercury-containing lamps with more energy-efficient lighting alternatives. These are, for example, light-emitting diode lamps (LED).
Everything is summarized in the Mercury Regulation (EU) 2017/852.
2026 – THE END OF LAMP PROJECTORS!
Anyone who wants to buy a new projector now should be aware of this: from 2026, projector manufacturers will no longer (be allowed to) produce lamps for it. This statement refers to the EU. From this point on, no new projectors will be manufactured or imported for EU countries (such as Germany) whose built-in light source will be a UHP lamp. From now on there will be other light sources for new home cinema projectors. Namely: laser and LED.
Background: Regulation (EU) 2017/852 stipulates that from January 1, 2026, products containing mercury may no longer be manufactured, imported or exported. The European Parliament's Directive 2011/65/EU also serves to restrict certain harmful raw materials used in electronic and electrical equipment. In our case, this applies to all lamp projectors because they contain components containing mercury. Namely the UHP lamp.
Manufacturers of projectors are currently assuming that this regulation will take effect - and that no exceptions will be made.
Photo: Michael B. Rehders - The JVC DLA-NZ8 has a long-lasting laser/phosphorus light source that can continue to be used in 2026.
Manufacturers stop producing UHP lamps
In the European Union, this means for retailers and customers: Halophosphate lamps containing mercury and projectors with these UHP lamps may be sold after January 1, 2026. It's just that new lamp projectors are no longer being produced or imported. The problem I now see is that from 2026 onwards, obtaining replacement lamps for projectors will likely become problematic. As soon as the local quotas are sold out in stores (and this should happen relatively quickly), UHP lamp failures in a projector mean that the devices are essentially broken if the user has not previously bought replacement lamps in stock. How long will lamps containing mercury still be? It also remains to be seen whether the number of buyers for projectors will be produced for projectors. Production in very small quantities is unlikely to be financially lucrative.
Photo: JVC – Laser light diodes are already replacing UHP lamps at JVC. The new 4K and 8K projectors almost all use laser/phosphor. These are the current models JVC DLA-NZ7, DLA-NZ8 and DLA-NZ9. Only the JVC DLA-NP5 still has a conventional mercury lamp, which will no longer be manufactured by January 1, 2026 at the latest.
Are there alternatives?
At home you can now use LED bulbs in conventional lamp holders. I think it is unlikely that projector manufacturers will follow a similar path for older lamp projectors. When I asked some manufacturers about this, I received the following answer: There are currently no plans for such technical developments. This means: from January 2026 at the latest, manufacturers will stop producing UHP lamps and importing them to Europe.
Photo: Michael B. Rehders – How long lamps will continue to be produced outside the EU is unclear. Since projectors use different lamps (see photo), it becomes much more difficult to find a suitable model.
Conclusion
The good thing first: new projectors will continue to be available in the EU from January 1, 2026 - only from now on they will use LED and laser light sources instead of the harmful gas discharge lamps (UHP) containing mercury. Home cinema projectors with UHP lamps that are already imported and stocked in specialist retailers may continue to be sold. Then there is practically a pure sale. The same also applies to the UHP lamps. The procurement of spare parts for consumables (i.e. suitable UHP lamps) is likely to become increasingly difficult, as manufacturers and dealers will no longer be allowed to manufacture, import and export lamps containing mercury in the EU from 2026.
Published onJanuary 1, 2024 by Michael B. Rehders
The EU regulation EU 2017/852 is tough! From January 1, 2026, many products containing mercury may no longer be manufactured, imported or exported. This also applies to our beloved home theater projectors. In this special, I'll look at what exactly that means and what alternatives there are.
Mercury is harmful to health
Mercury is a toxic element that poses significant health risks to humans. As a neurotoxin, it causes permanent kidney and brain damage. In addition, it affects fetal and early childhood development. Therefore, it has been classified by the EU as life-threatening if inhaled, harmful to organs and the environment.
Given the dangers that mercury poses to people and the environment, the EU developed a mercury strategy in 2005, which was revised in 2010. The goal is to replace harmful mercury-containing lamps with more energy-efficient lighting alternatives. These are, for example, light-emitting diode lamps (LED).
Everything is summarized in the Mercury Regulation (EU) 2017/852.
2026 – THE END OF LAMP PROJECTORS!
Anyone who wants to buy a new projector now should be aware of this: from 2026, projector manufacturers will no longer (be allowed to) produce lamps for it. This statement refers to the EU. From this point on, no new projectors will be manufactured or imported for EU countries (such as Germany) whose built-in light source will be a UHP lamp. From now on there will be other light sources for new home cinema projectors. Namely: laser and LED.
Background: Regulation (EU) 2017/852 stipulates that from January 1, 2026, products containing mercury may no longer be manufactured, imported or exported. The European Parliament's Directive 2011/65/EU also serves to restrict certain harmful raw materials used in electronic and electrical equipment. In our case, this applies to all lamp projectors because they contain components containing mercury. Namely the UHP lamp.
Manufacturers of projectors are currently assuming that this regulation will take effect - and that no exceptions will be made.
Photo: Michael B. Rehders - The JVC DLA-NZ8 has a long-lasting laser/phosphorus light source that can continue to be used in 2026.Manufacturers stop producing UHP lamps
In the European Union, this means for retailers and customers: Halophosphate lamps containing mercury and projectors with these UHP lamps may be sold after January 1, 2026. It's just that new lamp projectors are no longer being produced or imported. The problem I now see is that from 2026 onwards, obtaining replacement lamps for projectors will likely become problematic. As soon as the local quotas are sold out in stores (and this should happen relatively quickly), UHP lamp failures in a projector mean that the devices are essentially broken if the user has not previously bought replacement lamps in stock. How long will lamps containing mercury still be? It also remains to be seen whether the number of buyers for projectors will be produced for projectors. Production in very small quantities is unlikely to be financially lucrative.
Are there alternatives?
At home you can now use LED bulbs in conventional lamp holders. I think it is unlikely that projector manufacturers will follow a similar path for older lamp projectors. When I asked some manufacturers about this, I received the following answer: There are currently no plans for such technical developments. This means: from January 2026 at the latest, manufacturers will stop producing UHP lamps and importing them to Europe.
Conclusion
The good thing first: new projectors will continue to be available in the EU from January 1, 2026 - only from now on they will use LED and laser light sources instead of the harmful gas discharge lamps (UHP) containing mercury. Home cinema projectors with UHP lamps that are already imported and stocked in specialist retailers may continue to be sold. Then there is practically a pure sale. The same also applies to the UHP lamps. The procurement of spare parts for consumables (i.e. suitable UHP lamps) is likely to become increasingly difficult, as manufacturers and dealers will no longer be allowed to manufacture, import and export lamps containing mercury in the EU from 2026.
