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Fluorescent, Sodium &
Mercury Lamps
More than 100 million lamps are sold in the UK each year producing
in excess of 3000 tonnes of waste material. One fluorescent tube can
contaminate approximately 30,000 litres of water.
The introduction of the Hazardous Waste Regulations 2005
incorporated the European Waste Catalogue definitions to assess
waste. Within these definitions fluorescent tubes, sodium and
mercury lamps are classed as Hazardous Waste and must be handled in
accordance with these Regulations.
The main objective of the WEEE Directive which came into force on
July 1st 2007 is to reduce waste and as the Fluorescent Tube
contains in general 94% Glass, 4% Ferrous and Non ferrous metals,
and 2% Phosphor Powder, by recycling this reduces the quantity of
waste going to landfill. The individual components of the various
lamps are separated for recycling or re-use. It is commercially more
cost effective to recycle your used lamps and tubes and at the same
time improve your organisation's environmental performance and
accreditation.
Hazardous Waste
The Hazardous Waste Regulations 2005
The Hazardous Waste Regulations (2005) came into force on July 16th
2005 along with the European Waste Catalogue (2005).
These regulations have significant implications for the Industry &
Commerce. This page highlights the major implications, the steps the
companies will have to take and any issues that will have to be
dealt with in the future.
The primary requirement is to ensure that any building that produces
more than 500kg of the wastes listed (in a 12 month period) must be
registered with the Environment Agency (EA).
www.environment-agency.gov.uk
Examples of the
wastes now classified as hazardous include
• Fluorescent tubes & Energy Saving Lamps (Compact Fluorescents)
• Sodium & Mercury Lamps
• Televisions / Computer monitors/ Laptops
• Batteries
Regulations
All wastes collected or delivered to a Waste Facility have to be
accompanied by either a Controlled Waste Transfer Note or a
Hazardous Waste Consignment Note depending on the category of waste,
not how it is envisaged by the waste producer but by the
regulations.
These regulations are enforced by the Environment Agency and it is
the responsibility of the waste producer to ensure that their wastes
are handled properly, by a Registered Waste Carrier to a fully
licensed Waste Transfer Station or Disposal Facility, having an
Exemption does not mean the site is exempt from conforming to the
regulations.
As in most industries there are those who prefer to flout the
regulations and do it cheap, using these companies leaves you and
your company open to prosecution, there are also some outside our
industry trying to take a share of the waste market by taking back
used items, if you are tempted to use them make sure you get all the
appropriate paperwork, most are trying to shy away from it as is too
much like hard work.
For example Fluorescent tubes and Computer Monitors are both classed
as Hazardous Waste under today’s regulations, to dispose of these
you must receive a Hazardous Waste Consignment Note on collection
from your site, on receipt of the waste the company must complete
the Environment Agency’s database and at the end of each quarter
send both yourselves and the Environment Agency an electronic
returns to state that the waste was received and how it was dealt
with. Failing to do so leaves you liable for prosecution.
By using waste professionals, like us, you are assured that you get
all the appropriate paperwork and returns as required by the law.
Recycling means that the produce from a waste is reused in the
manufacture of another product, by utilising our services you are
offered a full audit trail from your premises through to the final
recycling point where the waste becomes material for manufacturing.
For example the process of fluorescent tube recycling that we use,
is such that even the Mercury content is distilled for reuse by lamp
manufacturers and other industries using this metal.
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