Customers should require luminaire suppliers to arrange waste recycling
An increasing number of major lighting procurement projects now require luminaire suppliers to take responsibility for recycling the old fittings and lamps that are removed during installation. That makes a lot of sense. By law, all producers of new fittings are required to be members of a WEEE compliance scheme.
The WEEE compliance scheme is responsible for managing it’s producer members’ recycling obligations. So the WEEE compliance scheme is exactly the right organisation to collect and recycle waste electricals. There are a number of benefits of this approach:
- For contractors, the hassle of arranging collection of waste is gone. In particular, lamp recycling is costly, and so to get this funded by the producer is an excellent outcome
- It often results in better environmental outcomes. If treating the waste fittings is left to the local scrap dealer, there is a risk that it may not be treated correctly. Conversely, a PCS is required to apply best available treatment methods to any WEEE they collect.
- It should also result in reduced costs and hassle for the Customer. No need for them to deal with waste.
Working with a lighting producer that is a member of a WEEE compliance scheme offering a free recycling service for lamps and luminaires, means there will be minimal impact on the cost to the installer.
