Luminaire recycling on the rise

The quantity of luminaires being recycled in the UK has increased by over 200% between the second half of 2007 and the same period in 2008, according to recycling body Lumicom. In the last six months of 2007, 34 tonnes were recycled and this had risen to 80 tonnes by the end of 2008.

“The growth in recycling has been phenomenal and, while we haven’t yet got final figures for the first half of 2009, we can see that these quantities have continued to rise,” said Lumicom chief executive Ernest Magog.

“This is partly due to the increase in awareness of the need to recycle and the benefits of using accredited schemes - and partly because our infrastructure is now making it much easier for people to consign their old luminaires to the appropriate waste stream,” he added.

A not-for-profit accreditation body, Lumicom acts on behalf of lighting manufacturers to provide a single point of contact and a simple and transparent process for both end users and manufacturers. Lumicom takes responsibility for the compliant disposal of luminaires, backed by a comprehensive audit trail.