Many people in the AV world are aware of the expense and waste involved in replacing the lamp in a digital projector. Much of this is due to the fact that the replacement part will include not just the piece that needs to be replaced-the burner-but also the housing and components that are perfectly good. It is costly to purchase a new replacement lamp assembly for projectors. Also, disposing of the old, useable elements is wasteful and, in the case of the mercury in the glass burner, dangerous and environmentally harmful. Projector Lamp Services (PLS) LLC of Bohemia, NY, came into being to address these important issues.
PLS started up last spring specifically to offer re-lamping and recycling services for the projection display industry. The company, which has been re-lamping projector lamps since 2005, grew out of eele ReLamping, a division of lamp manufacturer eele Laboratories LLC. "By re-lamping a projector lamp, we re-use multiple components including the housing, connectors and sometimes the reflector, thereby reducing waste," says Gina Sansivero, PLS's Sales and Marketing Manager. "We also recycle the glass burner that contains mercury. This prevents the toxic mercury from entering our environment. Some companies that offer similar services simply dispose of this piece.
"Additionally," she adds, "by re-lamping a projector lamp that has been discontinued, one is extending the life of a projector and preventing it from becoming just more waste. Re-lamping and recycling projector lamps can not only help our customers to minimize their environmental impact, but it can also save money!"
Sansivero notes that there has been some concern expressed in the industry about the safety and quality associated with re-manufactured lamp assemblies. If untrained technicians miss worn connectors, these parts could wind up in the new unit and possibly be cause for safety concerns. If dust gets on the new burner, it can cause hot spots that lead to premature failure. But, she notes, while these might be legitimate concerns regarding some other re-lamping operations, they simply do not apply to PLS.
"We are a manufacturer of lamps and have been dealing with these components for years," she points out. "Only technicians trained by our manufacturing engineers do the re-lamping. They work with the same standards and in the same type of clean environment, too. They clean all re-lamped modules and ensure that they are free of dust; extensive quality testing guarantees that our re-manufactured projector lamp ships with the performance and lifetime comparable to the original, and we provide a 90-day warranty to back that up."
Additionally, PLS is extending its environmentally conscious approach to re-lamping through its Project Green initiative. "PLS recognizes the need for schools and businesses large and small to adhere to 'green' standards," Sansivero says. "More and more institutions are requiring the implementation of eco-friendly practices and products. Furthermore, the U.S. government is providing incentives to businesses that participate in certain environmentally friendly programs and purchase 'green' products. As more information is released regarding the state of our environment, the demand for eco-friendly practices and products will continue to significantly increase.
"Our no-charge recycling programs allowand encourage schools, corporations, government facilities and individual consumers to recycle their projector lamps," Sansivero adds. "At this time, most people dispose of them in the trash because recycling them can cost up to $2.50 per piece or more. We offer another option. Also, we will provide a recycling confirmation and send a signed letter documenting the date and number of pieces received for recycling. This can be filed as proof of adherence to mandated mercury disposal/recycling laws. At that point, if there are any questions about the lamp recycling, they can be directed toward us. Re-lamping and recycling results in a reduction of waste and in the prevention of mercury contamination."
As part of their Project Green initiative, PLS will offer additional value for corporations, institutions, museums, houses of worship (anyone who uses projectors) to find the information, incentives, ideas and support they need to be environmentally responsible with regard to AV use. The Web site (www.projectgreenav.com), currently under construction, will provide "green" tips, resources for other types of electronics recycling houses, information about various eco-friendly incentive programs and articles and links pertaining to "green" AV.
For more information about PLS relamping and recycling, call +1 (631) 244-0051 or visit the website at www.relampit.com
|
