According to a recent Cape Times article, Woolworths will be placing collection bins in 20 of its larger stores for the disposal of used compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs). This will take place within the next 6 weeks and Woolworths intends to expand the programme to all of its stores eventually. The bulbs will be picked up by Nova Lighting Services and taken to one of Nova’s seven branches where they will be crushed by a machine that keeps harmful chemicals safely contained. The crushed bulbs will be sent to hazardous-waste landfills. Nova hopes to have a process in place to recycle these bulbs by next year.

Several other organisations will follow the new trend. Clicks and Pick n Pay are also planning to introduce collection bins, and Royal Phillips Electronics’ South African distributor Amplux is working to establish collection sites for used bulbs at retail stores.

Royal Phillips Electronics have announced that they will join two South African companies, state-owned CEF Group and privately owned Karebo Systems, in setting up a facility in Lesotho that will produce and recycle CFLs. According to an article on the SouthAfrica.info website, the new facility will enable Royal Phillips Electronics to help to meet the growing demand in energy efficient lighting solutions, stimulate economic development, help reduce electricity costs and cut carbon emissions.