Recycle

Environmental policy
RoHS - Restricions of Hazardous Substances
WEEE – Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment

RoHS - Restricions of Hazardous Substances

RoHS covers the restriction of use of hazardous substances (including Cadmium, Chromium, Lead and Mercury) in all electronic equipment. Whilst many lighting products are subject to RoHS, projector lamps are exempt as there is no substitute technology available.

RoHS Directive (2002/95/EC) published on January 27th 2003 included these exemptions which are still in force.

Mercury in compact fluorescent lamps not exceeding 5 mg per lamp.
Mercury in straight fluorescent lamps for general purposes not exceeding:
- halophosphate 10 mg
- triphosphate with normal lifetime 5 mg
- triphosphate with long lifetime 8 mg.
Mercury in straight fluorescent lamps for special purposes.
Mercury in other lamps not specifically mentioned in this Annex.
Lead in glass of cathode ray tubes, electronic components and fluorescent tubes.
Lead as an alloying element in steel containing up to 0,35 % lead by weight, aluminium containing up to 0,4 % lead by weight and as a copper alloy containing up to 4 % lead by weight.
- Lead in high melting temperature type solders (i.e. tin-lead solder alloys containing more than 85 % lead),
- lead in solders for servers, storage and storage array systems (exemption granted until 2010),
- lead in solders for network infrastructure equipment for switching, signalling, transmission as well as network management for telecommunication,
- lead in electronic ceramic parts (e.g. piezoelectronic devices).
Cadmium plating except for applications banned under Directive 91/338/EEC (1) amending Directive 76/769/EEC (2) relating to restrictions on the marketing and use of certain dangerous substances and preparations.
Hexavalent chromium as an anti-corrosion of the carbon steel cooling system in absorption refrigerators.
Within the procedure referred to in Article 7(2), the Commission shall evaluate the applications for:
- Deca BDE,
- mercury in straight fluorescent lamps for special purposes,
- lead in solders for servers, storage and storage array systems, network infrastructure equipment for switching, signalling, transmission as well as network management for telecommunications (with a view to setting a specific time limit for this exemption), and
- light bulbs,

WEEE – Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment

The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive (WEEE Directive) aims to minimise the impact of electrical and electronic goods on the environment, by increasing re-use and recycling and reducing the amount of WEEE going to landfill.

A projector lamp is a consumable and as such is exempt from the requirements of WEEE. For more information click on this link http://www.berr.gov.uk/files/file42909.pdf or download the .pdf file here (416Kb).

Below are extracts from the Q&A section of this link using a printer cartridge as an example. The same rules apply to projector lamps.

Q - Must I report the sale of spare parts?
A - No - Spare parts are not products by themselves but are supplied for the repair of products. Spare parts put on the market for the repair of products are outside the scope of the WEEE Regulations, but they may be subject to the Restriction on certain Hazardous Substances (RoHS) Regulations and you should consult those Regulations and the Government Guidance Notes

Q - Do I have to report the sale of consumables I produce?
A - No - Consumables only become WEEE if they are part of another product that is WEEE. For example, when a printer is discarded it becomes WEEE. If an ink cartridge is inside the printer at the time, then the ink cartridge also becomes part of that WEEE at the time of discarding. The ink cartridge would not be WEEE if discarded on its own and is, therefore, outside the scope of the WEEE Regulations, though it could be covered by other waste legislation.

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