What is recycling?
Recovering the materials in removed items so they become new products — sorted, dismantled, processed and reported.
Recycling is recovering the materials in removed items so they can be made into new products rather than sent to landfill. Items are collected and logged, then sorted by material, with metals, glass, plastics and electronics kept in their own streams.
Items are dismantled and hazardous parts taken out first, then processed at an authorised facility and the recovered materials return to supply. Weights and certificates are recorded and reported. Poor recycling means contaminated streams, hazard risk and no proof of recovery.
- Collect. Gather the items from the disposal stage, identify and log them, and store them safely.
- Sort. Separate by material type, such as metals, glass and plastics, and keep electronics apart.
- Dismantle. Remove fixings, take apart assemblies and take hazardous parts out first.
- Process. An authorised facility shreds, melts or refines the materials and manages the residues.
- Recover. The recovered materials go back into supply and less waste goes to landfill.
- Report. Record weights and quantities, keep certificates and report the recovery.
Breaks the item down and recovers its materials to make new products.
Keeps the item itself in service, for example as a tested spare, if it is known to be serviceable.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1What is recycling in airfield ground lighting?
Recovering the materials in removed AGL items, such as metals, glass, plastics and electronic components, so that they can be made into new products instead of being sent to landfill. It is one of the routes within the disposal stage of the asset lifecycle.
Q2How is recycling different from disposal and reuse?
Disposal is the overall stage that deals with removed items. Recycling is one route within it, which breaks the item down and recovers its materials. Reuse is different: it keeps the item itself in service, for example as a tested spare, and is only suitable for items known to be serviceable.
Q3Which AGL materials are commonly recovered?
Metals such as copper in cable and transformer windings, aluminium and steel in fixture bodies, base cans, ducts and masts, along with glass, some plastics and electronic components. What can actually be recovered depends on the item, how it is built and the facility that processes it.
Q4Why dismantle items and remove hazardous parts first?
Some parts, such as batteries, electronic boards, capacitors (older types may contain PCBs), flash tubes, lamps and any oil-filled, treated or contaminated components, need specialist handling before the rest of the item can be processed. Control and monitoring hardware is also wiped of site data before it leaves the site. Taking them out first keeps the material streams clean and the process compliant and safe.
Q5Who carries out recycling?
Authorised recyclers and processing facilities that hold the permissions required under the applicable waste and environmental regulations. The aerodrome or responsible organisation confirms that the carrier and facility are suitable before items leave the site.
Q6What should be recorded after recycling?
The items and materials sent, their weights or quantities, the carrier and facility, dates, and the certificates received. These records support environmental reporting, show the value recovered against lifecycle cost, and give asset planning evidence about what happens to equipment at end of life.
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