Recolamp: Romanian market for lighting equipment down 5 pct in 2013

Sales of lighting equipment in Romania were down by about 5 percent in 2013 y-o-y, according to Recolamp, the not for profit recycling organization founded by General Electric, Osram Romania and Philips Romania in 2007. Overall, some 6.55 million pieces of lighting equipment were put on the market 2013, according to the same source.

Recolamp collected and recycled 480 tonnes of lighting equipment waste last year, reaching the 40 percent European target which is calculated based on the average sales for the last two years of the 153 compliant Romanian lighting equipment producers that it represents. The producers have transferred to Recolamp their legal obligation regarding the waste management of electrical and electronic equipments – category 5 in the Directive 2012/19/UE. On their behalf, the association assured the collection of 480 tonnes of lamps and luminaries.

Recolamp’s main objectives in 2013 were “to continue the development of the national collection infrastructure for the free of charge pickup of lighting equipment waste and to increase the collected quantities, especially in the lamps segment, due to their hazardous waste containing,” said Bela Kovacs, general manager of Recolamp.

Some 1,000 new collection points were set up last year, adding to the existing 8,400. “Also, the collection of lamps increased by 13 percent in comparison to the results of 2012,” he added.

According to preliminary data, the association reported income of RON 5.9 million, representing the Visible Fee of RON 0.9 (plus VAT) applied to the equipment sold by the association’s producers.

“2014 is another year when we have to reach the 40 percent collection target (…). Again, we count on the support of the authorities, collecting and recycling companies, waste generators, producers. This year, though, we plan to focus more on a special category of professionals: electricians and “do it yourself” stores,” said Kovacs.

Simona Bazavan