Orange Electric, a local electrical and lighting products manufacturer and exporter, has invested US$ 500,000 in a joint venture to set up what it says is South Asia's first Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFL) recycling plant in Sri Lanka.
This facility, registered under the name of Asia Recycling, has been incorporated in partnership with Nordic Recycling AB of Sweden, and has a stated recycling capacity of up to 30 million bulbs per year, encompassing both CFL as well as the more conventional, fluorescent tube lights. Also noted, capacity is nearly three times greater than the annual local CFL usage.
The Rs. 5 billion-revenue Orange Electric, representing 70% local market share, further noted that it manufactures around 450,000 CFL bulbs a month, while also stating that about 1.5 million CFL bulbs are disposed of monthly in Sri Lanka.
Outlining the future plans for Asia Recycling, which has its sole facility in Homagama South, Pitipana Rideemulla, Orange Electric Managing Director Kushan Kodituwakku indicated that Sri Lanka was just the first step in this venture, with hopes of expanding with similar plants in India, Singapore, Malaysia and China.
He also revealed that, in three to four months, they would be bringing down new recycling technology and machinery and the existing machines would be sent to India. Commenting on the local market, he indicated that, at present, Orange Electric bulbs would be recycled free of charge. He also said that the country's Central Enviromental Agency (CEA) was bringing in new legislation regarding the disposal of light bulbs, as well as associated tariffs in this regard. And when this legislation comes into effect, recyclers would benefit from that added revenue stream as well.
Meanwhile, according to a statement, the recycling processes used translates into a recovery rate exceeding 95%.
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