EucoLight gives voice to lighting recycling sector

Europe – A new grouping known as EucoLight – the European association of lighting WEEE compliance schemes – has been established to better streamline the collection and recycling of lamps and luminaires as well as to safeguard the interests of the lighting recycling industry.

‘The WEEE Directive has greater impact on lighting than on any other industry sector,’ explains the association. ‘Despite being as an individual product low in weight, there is a greater number of lamps collected and recycled in Europe than all other types of electrical equipment.’

Furthermore, unlike most other e-scrap items, there is no value associated with waste lamps, stresses EucoLight. ‘Most lamps are also fragile and hazardous, making them difficult to transport, and requiring specialist recycling facilities,’ it adds.

The Brussels-based association has been established to ‘respond positively to these challenges, and to engage effectively with other European bodies and trade associations’. EucoLight will work to ‘enhance the regulatory framework for lighting waste and associated level playing field, support the development of appropriate international standards, and provide guidance and support to its members’.

EucoLight membership is open to any not-for-profit WEEE compliance scheme established in Europe and fulfilling the extended producer responsibility of lighting producers. WEEE schemes from 16 different EU member states are associated.