You are currently in: The incandescent phase out
Date: 31/8/2011
At Recolight, we are working to raise public awareness of how to recycle Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs) in a sustainable and safe way, and also about the benefits of CFLs. On September 1st 60W incandescent lamps will be phased out.
This means that these will no longer be available to buy from retailers; only low-energy options will be available (although existing stock can be “sold through”). 100W bulbs were phased out in 2009 and from next year, further lamps will disappear from shelves.
There is more information on the phase out from the useful Energy Saving Trust and DirectGov websites.
This is part of a global movement to remove “energy guzzling” incandescents that is taking place in Europe, the USA, Australasia, and other countries.
Some consumers have been reluctant to embrace CFLs. Yes, when they were first introduced some took a while to ‘warm-up’ but the technology has vastly improved in the last few years. As long as an incandescent lamp is replaced with an appropriate wattage CFL, there should not be a material difference in brightness. And vitally they do generate significant energy savings, and carbon footprint reductions for householders
At Recolight we welcome and applaud the phase out. It is coming not a moment too soon as the UK attempts to take control of its carbon emissions.
Recolight replies..
Thanks for your comment Kevan. Like many televisions, computer displays, fridges, mobile phones, and batteries, CFL energy savers are classified as hazardous waste. As a result, they do need to be handled responsibly when they reach end of life. We do not have data on the level of domestic CFLs returned for recycling, as waste lamps are not usually sorted by type. One of the benefits of CFLs is their long lifetime (typically six years), so it can be expected that the number reaching end of life, and hence needing to be recycled, is still relatively small when compared to the number recently sold. However it is certainly true that more needs to be done to raise awareness of the need to recycle all waste electricals – including CFLs. Recolight are therefore working hard to make it easier to recycle, and in the last 18 months have added over 750 extra locations for recycling CFLs. This includes all Homebase and Robert Dyas stores, and larger Sainsbury’s stores. We encourage all organisations to play their part in publicising the need to recycle. The WEEE regulations set minimum recovery targets, depending on the product type, which range from 70% for products such as small domestic appliances, up to 80% for gas discharge lamps. Recolight recover on average about 95% of the materials from all waste lamp recycling. We do not have individual data for CFLs – although depending on the amount and type of plastic used, the level would be lower, but still exceeding the recovery targets in the Regulations .
Posted By: Recolight - 06/09/2011 10:38:02
How about The toxic waste?
CFL energy savers are seriously toxic waste. Come on Recolight own up to the percentage of CFL sold to domestic users that you actually get back to recycle. While you are at it exactly what percentage of the material you recover from domestic CFL can be reprocessed to replace new materials in lamps or other products. Kevan Shaw
Posted By: Kevan Shaw - 02/09/2011 20:01:46
Bookmark with: