Electrical wholesaler City Electrical Factors (CEF) and WEEE & lamp recycler EWRG have brought court proceedings against: Philips Electronics UK; GE Lighting, Osram & Havells Sylvania UK, & producer compliance scheme "Recolight" in a dispute over allegedly refusing to accept or be responsible for lamps collected by CEF & EWRG. The allegation is that Recolight is controlled by these four, who are also shareholders, though it is acknowledged by CEF & EWRG that Recolight is an open scheme. CEF & EWRG said in a statement that litigation has arisen out of the 2006 WEEE Regs, which imposed responsibility on manufacturers for the costs of disposing of waste lamps in an environmentally friendly way. Since 2007, manufacturers have imposed a 15p/lamp sold to electrical wholesalers to cover the cost of treating/recycling waste lamps. The surcharge goes to Recolight, which is responsible for recycling old bulbs when they are returned.
