One of Britain's leading mercury specialists, Mercury Recycling will take on at least 400,000 units from roads around the UK, but this number is expected to grow during the contract.
With the introduction of the EU Directive on Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment, tight controls will be placed on the disposal of items including electric lights, which contain toxic mercury among other materials, and sending them to landfill will no longer be permitted.
Ed Gottweld, procurement manager at Amey Highways, said: “By awarding the contract to Mercury Recycling, we know that we are helping to eliminate the adverse environmental affects of mercury poisoning through disposal of lamps and tubes in landfill sites.”
At their plant in Manchester, Mercury Recycling uses Swedish technology to separated lights into their component parts and distil the mercurial powder to produce 99.98% pure mercury, which can be re-used in industry. Glass from the lights is used for shot blasting, as well as being turned into glass containers by Berryman's. Mercury Recycling is also looking into other possible uses for their glass.
Simon Lebor, Mercury Recycling's chief executive, said: “WRAP are using it in extensive investigations, and hopefully it will soon be re-used in the lighting industry.”
Mercury Recycling is the first company in the country to have gained an Integrated Pollution Control (IPC) licence of its type from the Environment Agency, and do not send any material to landfill.
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