 July 2008e-newsletter |
In this issue: WEEE one year on Know your regulations Last month Recolight exhibited at the CIWM Show in Torbay. Attendees were mainly from local authorities and the most frequently asked question was... [VIEW MORE] This month's collection point – South Eastern Electrical, Recolight's 1000th collection point Peter Lees reviews the CIWM show |
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A message from Eddie Taylor, Recolight CEO
Since July last year, Recolight has established itself as the UK's only specialist WEEE compliance scheme for lamps. We represent over 80% of the UK's leading lamp manufacturers and suppliers and we have built a network of just over 1000 commercial collection points across the country. We will be featuring a different member's CCP in each edition of the newsletter and this month you can read about South Eastern Electrical. Please let us know if you would like to be featured in a future e-newsletter. We're always keen to learn about your experiences and views on the issues important to you, so do email us through our ‘Soapbox' feedback function if there is something you would like to see covered in the next edition.Eddie Taylor, Chief Executive, Recolight |
| WEEE one year on In July 2007, the 2002 EU Directive on WEEE - designed to minimise the amount of hazardous waste going to landfill and encourage re-use and recycling – came into full legal effect in the UK. One year on, progress in the UK is encouraging. According to the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) over 4,000 producers have now joined a producer compliance scheme (PCS). Statistics from the Environment Agency indicate that over three quarters of businesses questioned are aware of the WEEE regulations and the importance of ensuring the safe disposal of WEEE. In the lamp industry, Recolight has established itself as the UK’s only specialist WEEE compliance scheme for lamps. We represent over sixty producer members, accounting for over 80% of the 100 million or more gas discharge lamps (GDL’s) put on the UK market each year.We are collecting very significant (and increasing) numbers of B2B WEEE lamps per quarter, via our network of 1000 commercial collection points, and we continue to seek to extend this collection network where it adds value for users or to improve our national geographic cover. Ultimately we expect the commercial collection network to stabilise at about 1500 sites. We are also continuing to raise awareness amongst B2B users of the importance of recycling end-of-life lamps and the actions they can take to keep control of their costs whilst increasing recycling levels e.g. ensuring they purchase products from WEEE registered producers, avoiding duplication of costs by knowing the options available, etc. In addition, we are now looking at ways to increase consumer awareness about the need to recycle waste household lamps in scope (mainly compact fluorescent lamps – CFLs). We expect the Government to initiate increased public awareness campaigns in the near future regarding recycling of WEEE products in general. This would include lamps and consumers will be encouraged to separate out their end-of-life lamps and return them to their local authority recycling centres. |
| Know your regulations
Duty of care in relation to the storage and transport of hazardous waste Section 34 of the 1990 Environmental Protection Act sets out a code of practice for the duty of care in relation to the storage and transport of waste. Failing to observe the duty of care or the 1991 Regulations is a criminal offence. The following is a summary:When gas discharge lamps are stored after a re-lamping exercise the waste holder (the user or lamp maintenance contractor charged with clearing the user’s site) must act to keep waste safe against:-
Waste holders should protect waste against these risks while it is in their possession. They should also protect it for its future handling requirements. Waste should reach not only its next holder but a licensed facility or other appropriate destination without escape. Preventing its escape after that stage is up to the next holder. Security precautions at sites where waste is stored should prevent theft, vandalism or scavenging of waste. Waste holders should undertake regular reviews of the waste in their possession to ensure that it has not been disturbed or tampered with.A waste holder or broker may transfer waste to someone who transports it - a waste carrier - who may or may not also be a waste manager. Subject to certain exemptions, anyone carrying waste in the course of their business, or in any other way for profit, must be registered with the Environment Agency (for England and Wales), with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency or the Northern Ireland Heritage Service. |
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| This month’s collection point – South Eastern Electrical, Recolight’s 1000th collection point This month we are celebrating signing our 1000th collection point, South Eastern Electrical PLC based in Hainault, Essex. Founded in 1981 by Neil Davey, South Eastern is a leading electrical contractor employing circa 150 staff. With an impressive client list including Sainsbury’s, NCP and M&S, South Eastern turned to Recolight after winning a new energy saving contract with Tesco. "With this new contract we expect to be recycling approximately 20,000 lamps over the next year," says Director Jamie Davey. "By having our own central collection point we can save time and money as it will mean we no longer have to rely on driving to and from other collection points."
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| Peter Lees reviews the CIWM show
"We were very pleased with the attendance and interest shown by the show and conference attendees over the three days. Many local authority delegates in particular took the opportunity to improve their awareness of us and our services. Recolight was one of only a few producer compliance schemes exhibiting at the show. What the CIWM show has taught us is that we need to form partnerships with local authority DCF (Designated Collection Facility) operators so that we can support their operations with a specialist recycling service organisation for WEEE lamps enabling maximum value and best efficiency."Peter Lees, Recolight Ltd Commercial Manager
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Telephone: 0845 601 7749 (International) +44 0845 601 7749 Email: news@recolight.co.uk |
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Disclaimer: All information published in this newsletter is available free of charge and published in good faith. We take every care when compiling the contents but can assume no responsibility for any effects arising therefrom. The views of contributors do not necessarily reflect the position of Recolight and we can not be held responsible for them.