In line with its mission to build a greener, more sustainable future in Sharjah, Bee'ah is installing the Middle East's first Reverse Vending Machines - supplied by UK-based Reverse Vending Corporation reVend - designed to collect and recycle domestic light bulbs and batteries across the UAE.

 

The integrated environmental and waste management organization is only the second company ever to spearhead this powerful initiative - making the UAE the second country in the world, after the UK, to adapt and apply this cutting-edge technology.

 

Bee'ah will be installing reVend Reverse Vending Machine units across the Emirates.

 

In recent years, with the amount of untreated waste growing at an alarming rate, recycling solutions for the lighting industry have garnered strong international interest.

 

After all, used light bulbs often end up in landfills, which poses a significant danger to the environment and proves costly.

 

The light bulb recycling machines from reVend will help to increase the UAE's recycling rates, keep hazardous waste out of the nation's landfills and help companies meet their environmental performance targets.

 

Light bulbs that are not energy efficient will be banned across the United Arab Emirates by the end of this year as the Emirates Authority for Standardisation and Metrology (Esma) has expanded its range of efficiency standards to cover more electrical equipment and appliances.

 

The new standards will require all light bulbs sold and used in the country to be eco-friendly as per the rating system.

 

This would lead to an increased demand for CFL and LED light bulbs, in addition to an increased demand for recycling light bulbs and domestic batteries.

 

The reVend Reverse Vending Machines accept all domestic light Bulbs, including incandescent ones, CFLs, LEDs as well as any domestic batteries which contain valuable and scarce natural mineral resources or harmful materials such as lead and mercury.

 

Each light bulb is recognized by the machine's Video Recognition Technology; from there, an easy-to-follow touch screen menu helps to guide the recycler through his/her eco-journey.

 

Once the user completes the recycling process, he/she will receive a reward incentive voucher.

 

Through the machine, recyclers will have the option of donating their loyalty points to charity organizations; they can also be rewarded for their positive environmental efforts with redeemable points - as part of the my Bee'ah Loyalty programme.