The WEEE Regulations and lighting in scope

5 March 2018 In Blogs By Recolight

The official definition of EEE (Electrical and electronic equipment):

 Products that are dependent on electric currents or electromagnetic field in order to work properly are in scope i.e. when the current is off, the equipment cannot fulfil its basic function.

Electrical and electronic products are not just those connected to a mains supply, but also include wind-up, battery-powered and solar-powered products.

Category 13 Covers Gas discharge lamps and LED light sources

 A Gas Discharge lamps include

  • Fluorescent tubes
  • High Intensity Discharge (HID) lamps covers: Sodium (SON), Metal Halide (HQI), Mercury Vapour (MBF), Low Vapour Mercury (SOX)
  • Non-integrated Compact Fluorescent Lamps. Any CFL lamp that needs an additional ballast/driver to operate it, i.e., 2D, PL-L, mainly for commercial use.
  • Integrated Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLi): any CFL lamp that has a built-in ballast/driver, mainly for domestic use

LED light sources

  • Retrofit LED lamps – any LED lamp that can take the place of a ‘’standard’’ lamp. ForExample
    • household screw-in/or twist-in lamps
    • GU10 spot-lamps, tubes, corn lamps
    • 2D LED replacements.
  • LED tape/strips/rope when sold on its own: i.e. without driver/power cables.
  • End user Replaceable LED modules: i.e., ‘’twist and lock’’ LED modules that do not require an electrician to fit into a luminaire

Category 5 – Lighting Equipment – defined as Luminaires

Any luminaire that is ONLY USED in a Non-Household/ commercial environment. Theses include:

  • Office luminaires, such as 600x600mm modular
  • Low and high bay luminaires used for warehouse lighting
  • Flood lights
  • Car park lighting
  • Street lighting
  • High power retail spotlights
  • LED tape/strip/rope that is connected to a driver and power cables

Lighting ballasts and drivers

Ballasts and drivers when sold on their own are then classified as components.

Components are out of scope of the WEEE regulations. They do not have to be reported into the WEEE system as EEE.

Ballasts and drivers are in scope when fitted into a luminaire, and so have to be treated as WEEE when the luminaire comes back for recycling. But as they have not been reported as EEE in the first place, a free collection service is not provided by Recolight if collected on their own.

Recolight Marketing and Communications

The Recolight team can answer any media queries relating to press releases and events at info@recolight.co.uk or on 020 8253 9750



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