In this issue:

Another great year for Recolight
With the tremendous support of our collection points, in 2009 we recycled ... [VIEW MORE]

Relaxing of the Hazardous Waste Regulations
Recolight has lobbied for some time for changes to the environmental.... [VIEW MORE]

Re-cast of the WEEE Directive
The WEEE directive is going through a complex review process.... [VIEW MORE]

Peter Lees Retires
After 40 years in the lighting industry, Peter Lees, Recolight’s.... [VIEW MORE]

Collection Point Survey
All collection points should note that this year's annual satisfaction... [VIEW MORE]

Ask the expert
Recolight's Health Safety and Compliance Manager Gemma Bristow answers your questions... [VIEW MORE]

Collection point of the month
This month, we welcome one of the newest collection points in the network: MICA Electrical Products Ltd.... [VIEW MORE]

With the tremendous support of our collection points, in 2009 we recycled over 25 million Gas Discharge Lamps! This achievement means that Recolight funded the recycling of more items of WEEE than any other compliance scheme and since 2008 we have recycled 50 million lamps – saving the equivalent of a fifth of a tonne of mercury from entering landfill.

We are delighted to be able to share such encouraging news and we hope to continue building on this success throughout 2010. Thanks to all of you for your continued hard work towards maximising the number of lamps that are recycled.

Recolight has lobbied for some time for changes to the environmental regulations that affect collection points.  We were therefore very pleased that as a direct result of pressure from Recolight, a new amendment to the Environmental Permitting Regulations (England and Wales) will allow our collection points to store WEEE until collection bins are full, rather than the current storage time limit of three months.

This means that now there will be an unlimited timeframe for storage of waste lamps providing the total quantity stored does not exceed 30 cubic metres.

The amended Regulations will help to reduce the carbon footprint of collections as well as the amount of associated paperwork, with bins only having to be emptied when they are full.

The Environmental Permitting Regulations (England and Wales) (Amendment) (No. 2) are due to come in force on 6th April 2010. In order to be compliant with the new revised exemptions, the waste must only be stored at a collection point pending recovery/disposal elsewhere and does not cover storage at bulking up sites.

Re-cast of the WEEE Directive
The WEEE directive is going through a complex review process. 

New recommendations made by Karl-Heinz Florenz in his report to the European Parliament include several key points which, if implemented, will have a lasting effect on the collection of lamps, not just in the UK, but across Europe.

The recommendations include creating an individual recycling target just for the lamp industry. This is something that Recolight has been actively lobbying for, at both UK and European levels and the proposals to have separate collection targets for the lamp industry are very welcome. 

Other recommendations include establishing European wide recycling standards and the inclusion of LEDs lamps within the directive.

Recolight is pleased that the report recognises that lamps need to be considered separately from ‘general’ WEEE, and is continuing to work to ensure that the actual rate agreed is both appropriate and achievable for our industry.

It’s important to note that the report is still to be discussed by the European Parliament, the Commission, and the Council of Ministers, but it is a step towards setting more realistic and achievable targets for the lighting industry, and the waste disposal industry as a whole.

Peter Lees Retires
After 40 years in the lighting industry, Peter Lees, Recolight’s Commercial Manager has announced his retirement.

Peter will be dividing his time between consultancy work and studying for a BTech in Countryside Management. Ever keen to keep busy, Peter said "I intend to take part in wildlife conservation activities in the Yorkshire Dales, and am preparing to become both a grandfather again and great grandfather in a few months time".

Peter’s illustrious career began in 1970, which saw him work for seven years at Philips until moving on in 1979 to Sylvania Lighting where he stayed for 27 years with the exception of an 18 month break with Eye Lighting.

Peter spent 14 years living in Geneva as European Product Marketing Manager at Sylvania, and on his return to the UK, as Special Products Sales and Marketing Manager, Peter served on several Lighting Industry Federation committees. In October 2006, Peter helped to help found Recolight with Eddie Taylor and Alex Hawkins.

Peter will continue to support Recolight on an ad hoc basis.

Collection Point Survey
All collection points should note that this year’s annual satisfaction survey will be getting underway soon, so you may receive a call from Eloqui to go through the survey with you. This is an ideal opportunity for you to feed back to us, as well as letting us know what we can do to improve.

Ask the expert
Recolight’s Health Safety and Compliance Manager Gemma Bristow answers your questions.

Who qualifies for the free collection service?

If you have or receive 1000 or more of end of life lamps (equivalent to about 200Kg) on a regular basis (regular defined as every 4-6 weeks) you can have a container free of charge which will allow you to store the lamps prior to transferral for treatment and recycling. Recolight will provide and deliver this container on your behalf.

If you don’t have or receive this amount on a regular basis and subsequently do not qualify for a free container Recolight can still help.  You can store lamps and when you have over 1000/200kg Recolight will send a recycling and transport specialist to collect these free of charge.

Collection point of the month
This month, we welcome one of the newest collection points in the network: MICA Electrical Products Ltd.

MICA Electrical Products Ltd – Blackpool

Established in Blackpool in 1985, MICA Electrical Products Ltd is a major supplier to the local trade, providing a range of electrical goods from specialist lamps to appliance spares, and has branches in Blackpool and St Annes which supply goods both locally and nationwide.

Since first opening the Blackpool branch, MICA Electrical has endeavoured to recycle and re-use as much as possible and is now the site of the only high street lamp disposal point in Blackpool. As well as its commitment to being ‘green’, MICA Electrical has established a reputation for good prices, and honest and helpful service to all customers, including Jeff Lee (pictured).

Director Mike Dodds adds;"We are pleased to be associated with Recolight which has offered us a simple solution to the constant request from customers asking about how they should be disposing of lamps properly.

"Recolight have made recycling easy for us. We are a growing business and the lamp recycling service is a valuable addition to the services we can offer to our customers – now we are able to offer all of our customers the facility to dispose of their old lamps and tubes."