Recolight – celebrating a decade of success

Recolight, the leading UK WEEE compliance scheme for lighting, this month celebrates its 10 year anniversary.

In the past decade, Recolight’s milestones have evolved alongside those of the lighting industry and WEEE regulations.

Recolight’s CEO, Nigel Harvey noted:

“The last 10 years have seen a number of positive developments in the UK. There has been a focus on making the UK WEEE system fairer, and more sustainable. Recolight’s success is a testament to the impact of these positive developments. The support of our Producer Members has enabled us to recycle more lamps, LEDs and luminaires than all other UK WEEE compliance schemes combined, since the WEEE regulations took effect”.

Founded in September 2005 by GE Lighting, Havells Sylvania, Osram and Philips Lighting, Recolight was established to take on the WEEE recycling obligations of lighting industry Producers, following the implementation of the WEEE Directive.

Having been approved as a WEEE Scheme Operator in 2007, Recolight was able to announce in 2009 that it had recycled 50 million gas discharge lamps.

Nigel Harvey added:

“Recolight aim to be the leading compliance scheme in the lighting industry. One of the ways we have sought to achieve this is through continuous service development for our members’ customers. That is why we launched an integrated lamp, LED and luminaire recycling service in 2012”.

To date, Recolight has recycled over 36,000 tonnes of LEDs and luminaires, and its Producer membership has grown in 2015 by 24 new Members, its highest membership growth since 2007.

Recolight and its 162 Members have been influential in responding to consultations to help shape Government WEEE policy. As a result, there have been many advancements within the UK lighting industry including:

2011

• The UK Government launched its Red Tape Challenge, to review waste regulations, as a way of boosting business and economic growth. Recolight responded.
• The WEEE Directive was recast, finalised and published in December, specifically including LEDs.

2012

• Alongside the LIA, Recolight supported the Joint Trade Association (JTA) to lobby for a new, fairer WEEE.

2013

• Working with the JTA, Recolight supported the targets and compliance fee option for a new WEEE system, which was then chosen by the Government. Recolight was also successful in recommending that LEDs be reported in the WEEE lamps category.
• The UK was the first EU member state to transpose the WEEE Directive into National regulations.

2014

• Recolight welcomed the introduction of dual use, with the Government confirming the implementation from January 2015.

2015

• Recolight was one of four founder members of EucoLight, the European WEEE lighting compliance scheme trade association. EucoLight now has 16 members, and Recolight is on the management board.