Lamps

What can be recycled?

Energy efficient light bulbs are a type of fluorescent lamp and should be recycled.

Old style incandescent bulbs are NOT recyclable. They cannot be recycled with glass bottles and jars as they are made from a different type of glass and also contain metal parts. These should be wrapped appropriately to prevent injury from broken glass to anyone carrying the waste and placed in the general waste stream.

Energy saving light bulbs and fluorescent light tubes contain small amounts of mercury.
As mercury is a hazardous substance these types of lightbulbs should be disposed of sensibly and in accordance with the Hazardous Waste Regulations.

Lamps waste stream

Lamps represent <1% of our total waste.

Your responsibilities

• There are 2 reasons why we may need to recycle lamps.
  
  • Although we have a legal obligation to recycle electrical material only LED lamps meet this criterion and must be recycled as WEEE.
  • However, a large number of other lamp types, such as fluorescent tubes, contain hazardous materials and must be recycled appropriately.

How do I dispose of mercury containing lamps?

• The lamp containers are only accessible by the maintenance team and SPIE (Frankland Road, Ayrton Road).
• Anyone else can contact recycling@imperial.ac.uk to dispose of lamps.

Who removes them?

• Containers are exchanged as necessary by a specialist contractor.

What happens then?

• Materials are recovered and reused.

About lamps

Lamp recycling targets the recovery of as many materials as possible in order to save our limited resources and to protect the environment by disposing of pollutants in an environmental-friendly way.

• Incandescent lamps : Incandescent lamps can be disposed of with the general waste.
• Halogen lamps: Like incandescent lamps halogen lamps do not contain any harmful substances and can be disposed of with the general waste.
• Fluorescent lamps: All fluorescent lamps contain low quantities of mercury and, since 2006, must therefore be disposed of by public and private waste disposal authorities in the communities.
• Compact fluorescent lamps: All compact fluorescent lamps contain low quantities of mercury and, since 2006, must therefore be disposed of by public and private waste disposal authorities in the communities.
• LED lamps (so-called retrofits) : Although LED lamps do not contain mercury they must be disposed of just like discharge lamps via public and private waste disposal authorities in the communities due to their electronic components.
• Mercury lamps: Mercury lamps contain mercury and, since 2006, must therefore be disposed of by public and private waste disposal authorities in the communities.
• Metal halide lamps: Metal halide lamps contain mercury and, since 2006, must therefore be disposed of via public and private waste disposal authorities in the communities.
• Sodium vapor lamps: Sodium vapor lamps contain mostly mercury and the chemical element sodium which reacts heavily with humid air. Therefore, all burned out sodium vapor lamps need to be disposed of professionally.

How green is this waste stream?

• The lamp container is re-used.
• Nearly all material is recycled.
• Recycling prevents hazardous materials from damaging the environment.

What else can I do?

• Energy efficient light bulbs save money and help the environment by using less electricity.
• Energy efficient light bulbs reduce the quantity of waste, because they don't need to be replaced as often as ordinary bulbs.

Contact recycling@imperial.ac.uk