Sustainable Light Disposal This Festive Season

Homeowners across Australia have started early this year to light up their houses with traditional festive lighting. From simple to spectacular, to homeowners and businesses have used led lighting to create stunning light displays. One property owner in Perth has created worldwide attention with his interpretation of the hit “Gangnam Style”, capturing over 500,000 youtube views. Kym Illman the Managing Director of Messages On Hold, came up with the idea of syncing his lights with music, and thousands each year come to visit his light spectacular. Using over 65,000 led globes, and stringed together using 7 kilometres of electrical cable, it took over 500 hours to set up this years light-show. Mr Illman states “ the electricity it uses would only equate to about that of running two clothes dryers”.

As the traditional festive season begins this year many homeowners are researching how to incorporate more sustainable practices into their lives. Because of the great increase of led lighting at this time of year, property owners are looking for the most sustainable ways of using, and disposing of festive lighting. Michael Patton from the Metropolitan Environmental Trust highlights that “many people find at this time of year their old strands of light from last year are not working, and they do not know what to do with them”. Homeowners need to dispose of their festive light strands in a responsible way as they contain lead, that absorbs the heat from the electricity. If disposed of in an unsustainable way, the lead can leech into waterways and harm the environment.

Light globes can be recycled effectively, with the copper in the leads, and the glass from the bulbs being able to be processed and reused in everyday items. Additionally, the heavy metals and toxic chemicals can be disposed without affecting landfills. Mrs Penny Field the director of Light Globe Replacement is hoping for more homeowners to become aware of the benefits of recycling light globes. Light Globe Replacement is one of the leading fluorescent light maintenance companies in the Sydney region. Providing lighting maintenance to some of the largest organisations in Sydney, including the Sydney International Airport, they have clearly seen that many individuals are simply not aware of the benefits of light bulb recycling. Light Globe Replacement Mrs Field states “rather than offer recycling as an optional service we made it our policy to include recycling as a standard practice for 100% of light globes supplied and replaced”. Light Globe Replacement have just celebrated their 6th year anniversary of implementing their 100% fluorescent light disposal recycling policy.

Property owners who are disposing their festive lighting strips this year should dispose of them in the recycling section of their waste. This simple step will ensure three key benefits. First, toxic chemicals will not be released into the environment. Second, the load on landfill will be decreased. Lastly recycling manufacturers will be able to re-use the glass and copper from the light globes.

Property owners who are looking for additional ways to ensure that their lighting systems are sustainable can contact Light Globe Replacement.