Recolight, a not-for-profit WEEE compliance scheme for the lighting industry, has announced a record year in 2009, funding the collection and recycling of over 25 million gas discharge lamps (GDLs).
Since 2008, Recolight has recycled 50 million lamps which equates to roughly a fifth of a tonne of mercury, which would otherwise have gone to landfill.
Announcing the success Recolight chief executive, Nigel Harvey said: “We are delighted through the support of our members, the Recolight team and our partners, we have been able to collect such a substantial amount of gas discharge lamps, and more than any other compliance scheme.
“Our success is testament to our commitment to making lamp recycling as simple and cost effective as possible. Through our unique collection network of 1000 collection points and our on-demand collections – all of which are open to any brand of lamp and provided free of charge – we have achieved record recycling rates.
“In 2010 we will look to build on this success both in the B2B sector and through improving the recycling infrastructure for consumer waste lamps. We have already announced our partnership with Sainsbury’s to collect lamps and batteries at 200 stores nationwide and by the end of the year we aim to have collection containers at an additional 400 local authority bring sites across the country.”