Delegates from 18 lighting WEEE compliance schemes and their lighting producer board members met at the second EucoLight Conference in Bratislava to discuss and share insight into challenges faced with the WEEE lighting.
Mr. Marián Stryček, WEEE expert at the Ministry of the Environment of the Slovak Republic and counsellor to the EU Presidency, shared insight on the Circular Economy and development of WEEE legislation in Slovakia. Further discussions followed looking at problems faced with Authorised Representatives and online platforms and compliance. Future developments of the WEEE Directive and the EU Circular Economy waste legislative package were presented and are key priorities for EucoLight; making sure the legislation is right for lighting and recycling. The compliance scheme Members of EucoLight have over ten years of experience of the WEEE directive and are recognised as a policy influencer, making their voice heard in Brussels.
EucoLight Members are following with a keen interest developments of research initiatives to improve recycling practices and decrease pollution for both gas discharge and LED lamps. Findings from research by the IFEU-Institut für Energie- und Umweltforschung Heidelberg were presented by Bernd Franke, Scientific Director at IFEU.
Juan-Carlos Enrique, EucoLight Chairman, commented: “The annual EucoLight conference is an excellent opportunity to identify common challenges with colleagues across Europe and to see where lighting WEEE collection and recycling makes a difference. At the heart of these trends are “ledification” and the Circular Economy. Input from external speakers is especially valuable to examine our activities from a different angle.”
The second edition of the EucoLight Recycling Light Awards highlighted EucoLight Member initiatives for projects to increase recycling rates, reduce ecological footprint and improvement of enforcement of WEEE obligations. Awards were presented to Recupel of Belgium, Ambilamp of Spain and two to Recolamp of Romania.
Marc Guiraud, EucoLight Secretary General, declared: “I congratulate all shortlisted candidates and, of course, the four winners of this year’s EucoLight Recycling Light Awards. A wide variety of breakthrough projects were shared”.
The EucoLight General Assembly was held during the conference with the election of a new Board of Directors; Chairman Juan-Carlos Enrique from Ambilamp in Spain, Vice Chairman Nigel Harvey from Recolight in the UK, Treasurer Hervé Grimaud from Récylum in France, Secretary Tomáš Rychetský from Ekolamp Czech Republic and Ourania Georgoutsakou of LightingEurope, member of the Board.
About EucoLight
EucoLight is The European association of collection and recycling organisations for WEEE lamps and lighting. On behalf of its 19 members, EucoLight engages with everything related to the WEEE Directive, legislations and standards affecting the collection and recycling of WEEE lighting. EucoLight members collect and recycle, in aggregate, 79 % of the lamps waste collected in the 18 countries in which they operate.
EucoLight is the voice of European WEEE compliance schemes specialised in managing the collection and recycling of WEEE lighting; working to make the circular economy a reality for lighting products.
Founded mid-2015, EucoLight has quickly embarked into constructive dialogue with relevant stakeholders to provide expertise in the field of management and treatment of WEEE lighting and to promote the positive role of Extended Producer Responsibility schemes on the environment and society.
For more information, visit the EucoLight website www.eucolight.org, follow EucoLight on Twitter @EucoLight or contact the Secretary General, Marc Guiraud (marc.guiraud@eucolight.org).
