UK wastes billions as scrap is sent abroad

Date: 27/1/2012

According to an article in Tuesday’s Independent a lack of adequate recycling facilities and confusing legislation is hampering Britain's economy as demand for raw materials soars.

Exports of industrial waste

The article cites a report by manufacturer’s organisation EEF that claims Britain exports 15 million tonnes of industrial waste each year, half of which is valuable scrap metal, because it does not have sufficient recycling facilities and clear enough legislation to deal with it here.

This could equate to flushing millions of tonnes of valuable raw materials, including key industrial metals and minerals, which are already in short supply, down the national drain.

Impact on the lighting industry

Whilst this could have a huge impact on a wide range of industries from car and computer manufacturing to chemical production and renewable energy, it could also have a significant impact on the lighting industry which relies on many valuable raw materials for the manufacture of new lamps as well.

However, through Recolight, which represents the majority of leading lamp manufacturers, the lighting industry doesn’t need to export any waste abroad. All of the waste lamps Recolight collects through its collection point network are currently recycled at facilities in the UK.

Furthermore, on average over 90 % of the materials making up the CFLs, fluorescent tubes and other forms of Gas Discharge Lamps that are recycled by Recolight are recovered.

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