Our Process

The Lamp Processor

Here you can see a member of the Enlightened Lamp Recycling team at work. He is loading fluorescent tubes into the processor.

Fluorescent lights, HID lamps and other mercury-bearing lamps are de-globed and crushed. The crushed material is separated into glass, aluminium end-caps and phosphor powder. The glass is re-used as raw material in the manufacture of various new glass products. The aluminium end-caps work their way back into being re-used via the metal markets.

The Retort Distiller

The phosphor powder is transferred to our distiller where it is cooked (retorted) so that the powder releases its mercury as vapour. This mercury vapour is then separated out by distillation, and condensed into a sealed container in the form of 99.99% pure mercury. One of the benefits of recycling is that the mercury is now available for its safe reuse.

Important

There is of course a larger technical background to our process than is of general interest. If you require more technical information we would be more than pleased to take the time to answer your enquiry… please do get in touch.