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Once the components of a public light reach the end of their economic life, it is important to dispose of them in a responsible manner. In countries such as the United States and the United Kingdom, it is possible to recycle almost all public lighting components, including poles, lamps, luminaires and ballasts. In Australia, however, only lamps and some poles can currently be recycled.
- It is the safest way to deal with the hazardous materials found in many lamps.
T5 fluorescents, compact fluorescents and high intensity discharge lamps (including metal halide and low pressure sodium) contain mercury. An 80W mercury vapour lamp contains 14mg of mercury. A 50W high pressure sodium lamp contains only 0.1mg of mercury and new fluorescent lamps have about 1mg of mercury.
Mercury is a powerful neurotoxin which can lead to neural degeneration, nervous diseases and death in humans. The safest way to dispose of mercury-containing lamps is to recycle them. This prevents them from entering landfill from where they leak into the environment. All EEC countries, America, Japan and New Zealand and many Asian nations have legislated to ban mercury containing lamps from landfill.
- It reduces the demand for virgin resources and reduces energy consumption.
This is because primary processing is more energy intensive than recycling.
At present, 50-60 million fluorescent tubes and HID lamps are consumed in Australia each year, yet less than 1% are recycled. In comparison with other countries, Australia's performance is poor.
Country | Recycling rate of mercury-containg lamps | Target | US | 24% in 2004 | 80% by 2009 | Taiwan | 87% (fluorescents only) in 2003 | Not available. | Germany | 70-80% in 1994
| 80% of all lighting products by 2006 (WEEE) | Switzerland | 60-70% in 2005
| 80% of all lighting products by 2006 (WEEE) | The Netherlands | Well over 50% in 2005
| 80% of all lighting products by 2006 (WEEE) | Austria | 50% in 2005 | 80% of all lighting products by 2006 (WEEE) |
Source: Christopher Hilkene, Hilkene International Policy and Krista Friesen, Pollution Probe. Background Study on Increasing Recycling of End-of-Life Mercury-containing Lamps from Residential and Commercial Sources in Canada, Canada 2005. (See More information below for link to pdf version of this report.)
Note: In 2003, the European Union's Directive on Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) set a recovery target of 80 per cent for lighting products by 2006.
- Aluminium from tube ends can be recycled into cast products such as ingot
- Glass can be recycled into glass wool used to insulate homes
- Mercury can be used to manufacture dental amalgam
- Phosphor power can be used to manufacture fertilizer
At present, Advanced Recycling Australasia (ARA), licensed by EPA Victoria, is the only EPA licensed company in Australia that recycles mercury containing lamps. ARA's Swedish recycling facility separates out and recovers glass, metal, phosphor and mercury powder, distilling the latter back to liquid metal.
HID lamps and fluorescent tubes can be collected in all states and territories, either directly by ARA or through a contractor such as EcoCycle, Chemsal and SITA. To organise collection of your lamps, contact ARA, EcoCycle, Chemsal and/or SITA directly. Alternatively, if you are in South Australia, see Zero Waste SA's list of collection services available. If considering a contractor other than one of the ones mentioned above, check that it is delivering your lamps to ARA.
Lamp recycling collection services are also available in New Zealand through Medi-Chem Waste Service. ARA can supply purpose built collection stillages or boxes.
At present, not all poles found in Australia can be recycled. Check with your pole supplier to find out whether your poles are recyclable and, if they are, how to recycle them. One supplier which sells poles that are fully recyclable is Vicpole. For more information, contact Vicpole directly.
Managing Materials - Fluorescent Tubes.
This resource, created by Zero Waste SA, provides a good overview of the issues surrounding recycling of fluorescent tubes and HID lamps and also provides contacts and cost-estimates of collection services available in South Australia.
Safe Disposal of Mercury Containing Lamps.
This resource, created by the Department of the Environment and Water Resources, provides information about recycling of household CFLS. It also lists providers of CFL recycling and collection services for each state/territory. These providers may also offer recycling services for lamps used in public lighting.
Media Release: Ecological Disaster Forecast Unless Fluorescent Tubes
Recycled, 27 March 2007
The Australian Council of Recyclers has called for a ban on fluorescent tubes and lamps entering landfill and a national recycling program for these products. Although it deals primarily with household lighting, some information is relevant to public lighting as well.
LampRecycle.org
This US website provides information about mercury-containing lamp recycling and lists lamp-recycling companies in the US and Canada.
Association of Lighting and Mercury Recyclers
This US organisation represents the majority of commercial processors of mercury-containing wastes in the US.
Background Study on Increasing Recycling of End-of-Life Mercury-containing Lamps from Residential and Commercial Sources in Canada
This looks at recycling of mercury-containing lamps in Canada, provides useful background information on the issues surrounding mercury contamination, and contains information on recycling rates in Asian and European coutries, as well as North America and Canada.
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