Recycling
Recycling Regulations
We talk to some of the biggest names in luminaire recycling to be sure we’re up to date with WEEE Regulation compliance.
The increased energy efficiency of lighting products on the market today is a great step forward for the industry. However, these new products are replacing their less efficient counterparts and these products need to be disposed of in a manner that isn’t detrimental to positive effects of efficient light sources. Ernest Magog of Lumicom understands the process of dealing with end-of-life products, and is delighted that many are taking environmental credentials as seriously as energy efficiency. Specifiers are being much more focused on getting assurance that luminaires replaced by new technologies are properly recycled as required by the WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) Regulations. “Since the Directive was introduced, thousands of lighting products have been
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diverted from landfill and recycled and, along the way, the organisations involved have learnt some important lessons,” explains Magog. “These lessons have served to fine-tune the processes and are now also being applied to new waste streams covered by the WEEE Directive, such as street lanterns and emergency lighting batteries.”
Anyone involved in managing all or part of
a project that generates waste needs to be up to speed with regulations and best practice. Projects with a value of over £300,000 must have a Site Waste Management Plan (SWMP) as a compulsory requirement, and Magog believes that it makes sense to apply the same principles for any project. As with any new legislation, a key to the development of the WEEE directive has
been developing an understanding of how well it is being received, as Magog explains; “Particularly valuable in the evolution of compliance schemes has been the feedback from users. This makes it clear that a well-defined infrastructure that is easy to work with is very important, as ultimately this will save time and minimise hassle.” Magog believes that recycling can be a fairly smooth process as long as simple steps are followed. The first step is to identify just who is responsible for disposal; “The WEEE Directive divides waste into two main categories. There is historic waste, installed before 13th August 2005, and future waste, installed after that date. Future waste is marked with a crossed out wheelie bin to indicate that it cannot be consigned to the general landfill waste stream,” he explains. With historic waste, the producer
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