Lightcycle

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Lightcycle return logistics and service

logo
legal form GmbH
founding 2005
Seat Munich
management Stephan Riemann, managing director
Number of employees 11 (2018)
Branch Recycling - logistics
Website https://www.lightcycle.de

The Light Cycle reverse logistics and service GmbH is a resident of Munich, founded by German lighting manufacturers nonprofit organization for the redemption of waste lamps and electrical appliances.

task

The company operates a take-back system for used lamps ( LED and gas discharge lamps ) and recycles the old lamps that it collects. In addition, Lightcycle offers distributors and manufacturers services to comply with the ElektroG (law on the placing on the market, return and environmentally friendly disposal of electrical and electronic equipment) and, through educational work, sensitizes consumers for the correct disposal of LED and energy-saving lamps.

At the end of their life cycle, LED and gas discharge lamps may not be disposed of with household waste in accordance with the Electrical Equipment Act (ElektroG), but must be disposed of separately. The lamps mentioned contain electronic components and, in some cases, very small amounts of mercury , so that the separate collection serves both to protect the environment and to conserve important resources. In 2017, Lightcycle collected 7,347 tons of old lamps and disposed of them professionally.

Since 2006, the ElektroG has obliged manufacturers to take back and dispose of their old products. Changes to the ElektroG came into force in mid-2018.

The product return of LED and gas discharge lamps currently takes place in three ways:

  1. Small quantities ( normal household quantities ) can be handed in at the municipal collection points (e.g. at recycling centers ) and retailers.
  2. Large quantities (from 50 pieces) can be disposed of at over 350 Lightcycle large-volume collection points operated by private waste disposal companies.
  3. Lightcycle picks up quantities from one ton per year (approx. 5,000 lamps) directly.

In 2018 there are over 8,500 collection points for old lamps in Germany, which are actively communicated at www.sammelstellensuche.de.

Returnable lamp types

The following old lamps (bulbs) are returnable according to ElektroG:    

Manufacturer return system

The return of old lamps differs significantly from that of other electrical appliances. The disposal costs for old lamps are very high in relation to the manufacturing costs. The very low product weight and the large transport volumes have a negative impact here.

Against the background of a separation of logistics and recycling services required by competition law, lamp manufacturers in Germany were allowed to set up a joint take-back system. This allows synergies in communication, collection and transport to be used and resources to be saved.

Logistics concept

The nationwide take-back takes place in eight logistics areas. The logistics companies commissioned for this provide the following services:

  • Provision and collection of collection bins for municipal transfer points, supplementary collection points and other commercial waste producers
  • Transport of the old lamps to the recycling facilities commissioned by the recycling consortia

Elektro-Altgeräte Garantie GmbH (EAG)

Elektro-Altgeräte Garantie GmbH (EAG), as a 100% subsidiary of Lightcycle, offers a collective guarantee system for issuing guarantees for the registration of manufacturers and importers with the EAR Foundation (Elektro-Altgeräte-Register) for all types of devices. Manufacturers and importers must provide evidence of the guarantees to the foundation before the electrical devices are placed on the market in accordance with Section 7 ElektroG. EAG takes on this task and offers additional services such as B. Registration, quantity notifications and data maintenance at the Elektro-Altgeräte Register (stiftung ear). 

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Clean and simple: the environmentally friendly disposal of old lamps. Retrieved September 11, 2018 .
  2. ↑ 11.04.2018 Lightcycle take-back volume 2017: 7,347 tons of old lamps. Retrieved September 11, 2018 .
  3. ^ Changes in ElektroG. Retrieved September 11, 2018 .
  4. ↑ Search for collection points. Retrieved September 11, 2018 .