Light years ahead

Gateshead is showing other local authorities what to do with redundant lighting

This summer it started swapping over 4,000 older office lighting units for modern energy-efficient ones. They’re not just being replaced, but recycled – and the council doesn’t even have to do that itself.

Gateshead has latched on to the implications of the EU’s famous WEEE directive – the one that finally became law in the UK in July, and makes producers take responsibility for the collection, treatment and recovery of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment.

Any reason for other local councils not to take advantage too?

19 September 2007