Recolight, the lamp industry’s not-for-profit arm, is launching the scheme to increase the availability of recycling facilities for CFLs.

Following the phase out of traditional incandescent light bulbs and electricity and gas firms disrupting free CFLs, also known as energy saving bulbs, Recolight is expecting the need for recycling facilities to increase.

The bulbs also contain mercury, which means they’re classed as hazardous waste, but consumer knowledge and recycling facilities are limited so there are fears many could end up in landfill.

Recolight’s chief executive, Nigel Harvey, says the large amounts of these bulbs will come to the end of their working life in 2014.

Recolight will work with CoBRA (Community Bulb Recycling Alliance) as part of the scheme which was set up to help communities deal with battery recycling in 2007.

The organisation hopes partnering with CoBRA will help to get CFL recycling boxes into more area by empowering communities to help themselves.

In order to do this Recolight run a competition which was won by an Open University student, for an easy to use box to increase the visability of CFL recycling.

Mr Harvey said: “The winning design we’re launching today is very simple and works on a roll, roll, roll basis.

“This means a CFL is dropped into the top of a cardboard box fitted with three sloped levels to prevent it breaking before it lands in a bag at the bottom of the box.

“The three layers also prevent children from reaching in and removing any of the bulbs and has been thoroughly researched to make sure it is safe, we’ve done a lot of due diligence.”

Luke Walsh

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