Obligated Waste – As outlined in the WEEE Regulations

The WEEE Regulations state that Non-household waste is obligated to Recolight when a Recolight Member supplies new product which displaces old product on a like for like basis, and where the waste was originally supplied before 2005.

There will be no crossed wheelie bin symbol on the product. Non-household waste is also obligated to Recolight  when a Recolight member’s products which bear the crossed wheelie bin symbol reach end of life. In both situations, the holder of the waste does not have the right for a free collection from business premises.

Recolight has a duty to set up a system to receive waste:

• For lamps – this is the Recolight open network of waste lamp collection points.
• For luminaires – Recolight has established a network of 80 waste luminaire collection points.

Recolight has a duty to finance the recycling of waste delivered into this system.

Recolight provide a collection service for the customers of our Producer Members,  going beyond the legal requirements of the WEEE Regulations.

ELECTRICAL WASTE COLLECTIONS

More than just lighting

Recolight provide FREE lamp recycling. We can do this because we are a not for profit company, funded by our Members in the lighting industry.

For a small competitive cost, we collect and recycle general WEEE  and batteries too – providing you with a complete WEEE service.

WEEE collected by Recolight

• T.V’s, VCR & Camcorders
• Computer monitors, printers, faxes
• Light fittings: luminaires, lighting equipment
• Power tools, garden tools, small lawnmowers
• Small household appliances
• IT, telecoms equipment, cables, connectors
• Electronic games, toys, sports equipment
• Mobile phones, recording equipment, cameras
• Monitoring & control instruments, medical devices

Battery Recycling

Recolight offer a service for small portable batteries.

Due to the fragile nature of batteries, we also offer extensive guidance for their storage and transportation.

GO TO >  Managing your site 

Recolight do not collect:

• Batteries containing potassium hydroxide,
• Batteries that require ‘activation’ (eg by adding a liquid before use) to allow them to function.

To sign up for electrical and battery recycling, please contact our customer service team on 020 8253 9750.

LAMP COLLECTIONS FOR WHOLESALERS

Free lamp recycling for your customers

When you join our network, you can choose to have an open or closed collection point.

As an open collection point, we will add you to our collection point map, helping to advertise your business to new customers.

Benefits of advertising your FREE lamp recycling service

Many of the wholesalers with an open collection point in our network have experienced an increase in business, especially with customers buying products to replace that which is being recycled.

• Showing that you are offering a service that helps local businesses and consumers deal with waste lamps may encourage those businesses to come back to you to buy more lamps. It may also be unique in your local area.
• Offering additional services and adding customer value are key for businesses looking to identify ways of retaining their customer base whilst attracting new ones.
• Demonstrating that your business is taking its environmental responsibilities seriously is an important way of attracting new business, and companies that can better help their customers meet their own environmental goals will have an edge over the competition.

Additional services to offer your customers

One off collections

If you have a customer planning a building relamp we provide an ad-hoc collection service. This service is free and is for quantities over 1000 lamps.

Complete an application form

Your regular customers

If your customers collect large quantities of waste lamps, to save them the hassle of bringing these back to you, we could set them up as a Recolight collection point. If they collect 1000 lamps every three months the container is free, if less than that, we have a lease option.

Battery and Electrical items

Operating as a not for profit organisation, we can offer a recycling service for other electricals covered by the  WEEE Regulations – and batteries too – at a competitive cost.

This service could be passed on to your customers.

Collection Point logo

We want you to celebrate the success of your collection point and have a collection point logo for you to use to highlight your WEEE compliance credentials.

The logo also demonstrates to new and current customers that you are part of the UK’s largest and most successful WEEE recycling network.

Contact us for print and digital formats of the badge.

RECOWEB GUIDES

Recoweb is the online booking system for all Recolight collection points that are part of our network and signed up for regular collections.

When you sign up to be a Recolight collection point, you will receive a username and password.

If you’ve forgotten your password, you can reset it on line.

Consignment notes

If you’re in England & Wales you can complete consignment notes on Recoweb. You can retrieve these from Recoweb to print.

This is only available in England & Wales as there is a different Pre Notify system for Scotland and Northern Ireland – see our pages for consignment notes.

Collection history

You can view a history of all your collections too, along with the weight that has been collected at your site for each collection.

Recoweb guides to download and print 

> Logging on

> Reqesting a collection

> Updating a collection

> Cancelling a collection

RECOLIGHT CONTAINERS

Recolight have containers for lamps, batteries, and electrical items

If you collect 1000 lamps every three months, Recolight provide a free container, collection and recycling.

If you collect less than 1000 lamps in three months,  you can still benefit from our free collection and recycling by renting a container from us.

The RB19, RC and RPB containers are designed for the storage of waste Gas Discharge Lamps and LEDs included in scope of the WEEE regulations pending collection for recycling.

The RPB can also be used for storage of luminaires or small electrical items.

Please note:

• Batteries and lamps must be removed from luminaires and placed in a separate container.
• All containers must be free of packaging.
• Lead time of six to ten working days, so please don’t wait until you can fit no more lamps in.

Have a look at the section on  managing your site. Where you’ll find guidance on the correct storage for lamps, luminaires, electricals, and batteries

DOWNLOAD > Recolight containers for lamps batteries luminaires and electricals

Recolight RC containers

• • For transporting lamps between sites.
  • For indoor storage only.

Recolight RB19 

Must be stored on a non-permeable surface and the lid secured.

• Delivered flat packed with instructions for simple assembly.
• Front drop flap for easier user access to the container and to minimise lamp breakage.
• Return collar above the base to increase rigidity of the container, ease transport, collection and stacking.
• Removable tray to ensure encapsulation of the waste and provide secondary bunding.
  • The tray is to be fitted on set up and not removed.
• Signage on the outside detailing what the container is for and safety information.

PDF guides to download

>  Recolight RB19 container assembly instructions

> Recolight guidance for correct use of RB19 waste lamp container

Skips

Skips are provided for

• Large LED luminaire roll out projects
• Street lanterns

Please note, this is a service for Recolight Producer Members’ obligated waste.

The RPB container

For just lamps, but also suitable for luminaries or small waste electrical items.

The waste must not be mixed and all batteries must be removed and placed in the battery drum.
Please note, the colour of container may vary.

Battery Containers

By accepting delivery of the battery container, you hereby acknowledge you have read, understood, and comply with Recolight guidance for handling and storing waste batteries.

RECOLIGHT SERVICE LEVEL AGREEMENT

Helping you stay compliant

As a Recolight collection point there are environmental, health and safety regulations with which you should comply. This is to control the risks associated with the storage and management of hazardous waste.

The Recolight Service Level Agreement (SLA) has been written to make sure that you and Recolight comply with the Duty of Care requirements set out by the UK’s four  Environment Agencies, and to keep your service free.

Keeping your service free

The Recolight service is free, however, you will be charged for:

• A failed collection.
• Less than 200kg of waste lamps.
• Excess contamination and broken lamps in your container.
• Lost or stolen container.
• Excess waiting time.

This can all be easily avoided if you:

• Tell us of access restrictions to your site and your site opening times – this must be done at the time of booking your collection on Recoweb.
• Arrange your permits and exemptionsfrom your Environment Agency.
• Look after your containers and provide safe and secure storage.
• Only collect lamps included in the WEEE Regulations.
• Stack your lamps to avoid breakage, and in compliance with health and safety standards.
• Remove all packaging from lamps; containers are for lamps only, not paper, cartons or other hazardous waste.
• Book your collection on Recoweb, our collection booking system.
• An RB19 container holds 250kg, to ensure you have the optimum weight book you collection when your container is 90% full.

Collection point audits

The Recolight service level agreement states that we may carry out inspections and audits of your collection point.

This is for us to confirm that all terms in the SLA are being met and to help with your compliance.

You may also be audited by the Environment Agency.

THE WEEE REGULATIONS AND YOUR DUTY OF CARE

The WEEE Regulations Duty of Care requires you to cause no harm to the environment from the

• production,
• storage,
• transportation,
• and disposal

of all Waste Electrical and Electronic products.

The Duty of Care applies from the point of production of your waste through to it’s treatment.

Helping you meet your Duty of Care obligations

As a Recolight Collection Point we help you meet your Duty of Care obligations by offering guidance on:

• MANAGING YOUR SITE – all you need to know about collection and storage of WEEE.
• THE PAPER WORK –  guidance for completing consignment notes and details of required exemptions and licences for storage and transportation.

Additionally, the Recolight Service Level Agreement is designed to help you comply.

Recolight’s Duty of Care

Recolight uses Approved Authorised Treatment Facilities (AATF) for the recycling of all WEEE collected. This is a facility which has the appropriate authorisations and approvals to carry out treatment of WEEE, as set out in WEEE Regulation 60.  AATFs are able to issue evidence of WEEE treatment and recovery. This evidence is required by Producer Compliance Schemes to show that they have met their obligations under the WEEE Regulations.

MANAGING YOUR SITE

Storing waste lamps, luminaires and batteries

To provide you with a free collection and recycling service, we ask you to ensure your waste lamps and luminaires are stored correctly in your containers.
It is a requirement of the Hazardous Waste Regulations that all types of hazardous wastes are stored separately.

We ask that:

• Your containers are stored in an area where they cannot be tampered with, damaged or stolen.
• Open collection points have a level of supervision in the area of the containers during opening hours.
• You don’t accept broken lamps at your collection point, to help minimise the risk to your site.
• If your Recolight container is damaged, please tell us so that we can arrange a replacement.

By following our storage guidance you can avoid contamination and excessive breakages in your container, and ultimately avoid incurring additional charges.

Completing a risk assessment

A risk assessment identifies all hazards that exist on your site and works out how best to control those risks to an acceptable level. It is an important step in protecting both workers and the general public, as well as ensuring compliance. If managed in the correct way, the storage and collection of waste lamps should present a low risk to all who access your site. There is a risk of mercury inhalation when handling and storing waste lamps which is significantly reduced when the lamps remain intact. Following the Recolight storage advice will help to reduce this risk.

You can find more information to help you complete a risk assessment on the Health and Safety Executive website.

Storing waste lamps

Your Recolight RB19 and RC6/8 containers are for storing gas discharge lamps and LEDs only. They must contain no other type of waste.

• To avoid breakage, all waste lamps should be stacked neatly and not thrown into containers.
• All packaging must be removed.
• Wherever possible, linear and non linear lamps should be placed in separate containers.
• Broken and incorrect storage of lamps causes fugitive mercury emissions which could enter your local work environment.
• Incorrect stacking and breakages will cause problems for our transport company who may be unable to empty the containers in the correct way.
  This will increase the possibility of exposure to mercury emissions.
• Correct stacking will reduce damage during transport.
• The container lid should be replaced and secured when not in use and unsupervised.

Correct assembly and use of RB19

DOWNLOAD > RB19 Assembly & loading instructions

DOWNLOAD > Recolight  guidance for correct use of RB19 waste lamp container

Special advice for storing xenon & sodium waste lamps

Xenon lamps cannot be accepted at a Recolight network collection point.

• Recolight recommend that xenon lamps are stored separately and not mixed with gas discharge or LED lamps at any time.
• All end of life xenon lamps should be stored and transported in the primary packaging in which they were delivered as new lamps, packed individually in a safe inner packaging.
• Recolight finances the treatment of its members’ obligated xenon lamps. This must be arranged in advance with the Recolight Customer Services Department.
• End users will need to make their own arrangements for transporting the end of life lamps this includes:
  • Pre-announcing to the Recolight Customer Services Department all shipments.
  • Following all legal requirements and official guidance for the shipment of hazardous lamps.
  • Delivering to a recycler nominated by Recolight.

DOWNLOAD > Recolight guidance for handling and storing xenon lamps

DOWNLOAD > Recolight guidance for handling and storing waste sodium lamps

Storing waste luminaires

The following guidelines must be followed for storing luminaires:

• Waste lamps and luminaires must be separated.
• Batteries must be removed from emergency lighting, and placed in your battery container.
• Your skip or pallet must be collected full and contain only waste luminaires.

 Storing batteries

By accepting delivery of a Recolight battery container, you hereby acknowledge that you have read, understood, and comply with the Recolight guidance for handling and storing waste batteries.

DOWNLOAD >  Recolight guidance for handling and storing waste batteries.

• The maximum gross weight of batteries that can be collected by Recolight is 330kg per collection. This weight includes containers and any inert filling used.

Recolight DO NOT collect the following:

• Batteries containing potassium hydroxide,
• Batteries that require ‘activation’ (eg by adding a liquid before use) to allow them to function,
• Damaged batteries
• Batteries with exposed terminals

For safety, they must be stored separately from all other battery types.

Why batteries must be handled with great care
Provided batteries have not been exposed to physical or electrical abuse and are treated with appropriate respect, they are usually safe to store and handle. However, batteries do pose several serious risks including fire, explosion, chemical and heat burns, poisoning, serious electric shock and dangers from heavy weight.

If you store or handle batteries it’s important that you take reasonable steps to avoid the risks materialising. The use of batteries in portable equipment is growing quickly and those batteries are often extremely volatile (especially Lithium and Lithium ion types) and have been linked to several fires.

Batteries can short circuit giving rise to fires

• If the batteries are not fully discharged then there is substantial risk of a battery fire from short circuits.
• A battery fire has the greatest potential when relatively high energy is passed through wires during a short circuit
• The wires can spontaneously combust when touched together which will then lead to a battery fire.
• Ruptured or damaged batteries can leak electrolyte which can be hazardous and in some instances a ruptured battery can catch fire (e.g. primary lithium batteries).
• Lithium batteries tend to be more hazardous than other batteries due to their ability to retain their electrical capacity for long periods and because they contain elemental lithium, any rupturing / short circuits can lead to explosive/high temperature fires.

Correct storage of batteries will minimise risk of fire

Recolight collection points must comply with the following. This is to minimise risks arising from the storage and handling of batteries.

Containers to be used

• UN approved containers – the weight of packed batteries must not exceed the threshold of the container with inert filling.
• The container must meet the packing group 2 performance level.
• Non UN approved container – maximum allowed gross weight of batteries is 30kgs per container. This includes the weight of container and any inert filling material.
• If gross weight is above 30kgs, a UN approved container must be used.
• Containers must be of a material that does not conduct electricity.

Managing your battery container

• Wherever possible, metal containers (eg steel drums) should not be used because they conduct electricity and so can give an easy route for a short-circuit to occur. If steel containers are to be used, a robust insulating plastic liner is required in order to ensure that the container walls are kept separate from the batteries stored inside
• An inert filling of non-conductive, non-combustible material such as sand should be used to fill spaces in battery containers to reduce fire risk
• Battery containers and lining bags must be kept tightly closed to remove the supply of oxygen from the container and reduce fire risk
• Batteries must always be protected from rain and any other sources of water. Water presence could corrode batteries casings giving rise to leakage and fire risk and can react with chemicals in batteries giving fire / explosion risk
• Where the batteries cannot be stored or transported in appropriate UN approved drums, please speak with a member of staff from Recolight who can agree an acceptable and appropriate alternative means of transporting the batteries with minimum risk

Battery storage

• Ensure that all live conductors and terminals are effectively insulated or protected.
• If any of the batteries have trailing wires these should have their ends securely taped up with insulation tape, or otherwise have their live ends protected to ensure that, even during movement, there is no possibility of live terminals being exposed and creating risks from short circuit or electric shock.
• Ideally cut off trailing wires where they leave the casing in such a way that there is no possibility of the cut ends touching each other, and insulating any exposed terminals.
• Metal strapping around batteries should only be used with caution and in such a way that the metal could not give rise to a short circuit and resulting potential fire.

More information from H&SE
To learn more about the risks associated with batteries please refer to guidance issued by the Health and Safety Executive.

• Using electric storage batteries safely – H&SE download
• Health & Safety Executive website