End-of-life services for electrical equipment

For low and medium-voltage equipment

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SF6 strategy

Support through the entire life cycle of your electrical equipment for a greener world

ABB service can help customers even in the final phase of use of their LV and MV equipment. We partner with our customers to enable circularity and a focus on sustainability through responsible decommissioning, disposal and recycling of any ABB or non-ABB equipment to achieve both safety and environmental outcomes.

The retrofit solutions in our portfolio can modernize and upgrade the existing system, but at the same time the old, replaced devices became waste, sometimes very harmful for environmental if not treated in a proper way.

ABB ensures that product disposal satisfies all local environmental regulations, local legislation and public demands. We can also provide advisory services and support to reach the customer’s sustainability targets, minimizing the waste quantity and carbon footprint thanks our modernization solutions.

Contact us to dispose your equipment


Our expertise

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We work closely with local certified partners to safely transport and dispose of products for maximize the number of recycled materials. 

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Certificate of disposal provided, with CO2 saving calculated from the activities. 

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Transition to SF6 free: Environmentally compliant management of hazardous SF6, regenerated and re-used, accordingly to IEC 60480:2019. 

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Compliant with local regulation – WEEE management.

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Environmental benefits & circular economy. 

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Peace of mind for customers, supporting in specific needs. 


SF6 free program


ABB service offers the SF6 collect and refurbishing program, for easily moving towards the coming EU ban related to F-gas. 

 

ABB personnel are certificated on the use and handling of SF6 gas in electrical equipment. They can extract the contaminated SF6 from switchboards and breakers and transport to dedicated refurbishment plants. 


2024

Specifically in European law prohibiting the use of F-Gas family (SF6 belongs to this family), is expected to come into force in 2024. In the first phase, all equipment up to 24 kV nominal voltage, and in the second phase, over 24 kV.


According to the European law, the placing on the market and energization of electrical switchgear containing F-gases, will be prohibited from 2026. 

Non-EU countries might be expected to follow similar regulatory standards for recycled SF6 in the following years.

If your business will be affected, please answer these questions by clicking the button below.

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2026

As of 1st January 2026, MV Switchgear for primary and secondary distribution up to and including 24 kV.

2028

As of 1st January 2028, HV switchgear from 52kV up to and including 145 kV and up to and including 50 kA short circuit current, with GWP of 1 or more.

2030

As of 1st January 2030, MV switchgear for primary and secondary distribution from more than 24 kV up to and including 52 kV.

2032

As of 1st January 2032, HV switchgear of more than 145kV or more than 50 kA short circuit current, with GWP of 1 or more.

References




ABB’s circularity approach, incorporating end-of-life services for products

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Services to meet your needs

SF6 gas management solutions
Standard replacement CBs
Standard exchange units for obsolete relays
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