UK achieves year-on-year increase in lamp recycling rates
Recolight has announced a significant increase in waste lamp recycling rates for 2012.
New figures released by the Environment Agency this month demonstrate a year-on-year increase in lamp recycling rates since the first full year of recorded data in 2008. In 2012 the tonnage of waste lamps recycled by all Producer Compliance Schemes in the UK was 39.5 per cent of the tonnage of all lamps put on market. The figure in 2008 was 23.2 per cent.Recolight’s results show higher levels of recycling – in 2012 the company was responsible for funding virtually all the business lamp recycling undertaken, and a significant proportion of the household lamp recycling.
The lighting industry performance in business recycling rates is particularly strong – the 2012 data shows that the recorded UK business recycling rate for all WEEE sectors is just five per cent, compared to the lamp industry result of 39.5 per cent.
Nigel Harvey, Recolight CEO, said, ‘Recolight was established in 2005 by the UK’s leading lamp producers, GE, Osram, Havells Sylvania and Phillips, and now has 120 lamp producer members. The excellent recycling rates the UK has achieved have only been possible with the commitment of all Recolight members.’
He added, ‘The lighting industry has set the benchmark for business WEEE recycling. We already know that our sector accounts for a higher proportion of business WEEE recycled over put-on-market EEE than any other industry. Now the 2012 figures demonstrate that we are well on the way to meeting the first set of higher targets outlined within the recast WEEE Directive.
‘This success is testament to the commitment of all our lamp producer and importer members, and also to the foresight of our founding members who created Recolight’s unique model. The continued commitment of our members ensures that the lighting industry maintains the highest levels of compliance with the WEEE Regulations now and in the future.’
The increase in recycling rates has been caused in part by a reduction in the tonnage of new lamps put on the market, but without a corresponding reduction in tonnages of lamps recycled, resulting in a higher capture rate.
