What NLR does

NLR Inc. (formerly Northeast Lamp Recycling), headquartered in East Windsor, Connecticut, is a vertically integrated universal waste recycling company founded in 1994 by Ray Graczyk and Robert E. Robert. Since 1996, NLR has operated Connecticut's first and only DEEP-approved lamp recycling facility, using proprietary in-house technology that processes all lamp types — whole or pre-crushed, any size or shape — and separates output into glass, aluminum, plastic, and mercury-bearing phosphate powder for downstream recycling. The company explicitly does not outsource lamp processing and holds $5 million in pollution liability insurance plus a closure surety.

NLR delivers service through two distinct channels: NLR FetchPro, a regional on-site pickup program served by its own licensed fleet across 15 Northeast states (Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, and West Virginia); and NLR Returns, a coast-to-coast self-serve mail-back program via UPS targeting smaller-scale generators nationally. Beyond lamps, NLR recycles all major battery chemistries, e-waste (with secure data destruction), lighting equipment and ballasts, mercury devices, and an expanding set of specialized streams including solar panels, X-ray lead aprons, laboratory waste, vape pens, EV batteries, and smoke alarms.

The business model is service-based and quote-driven, with revenue generated from collection, transportation, and recycling of universal, regulated, and hazardous waste materials; pricing varies by waste type, volume, frequency, and location and is not publicly disclosed. Customers span enterprises (e.g., New Balance), municipalities (e.g., NBSWMD), environmental-services firms (e.g., Rivers Environmental LLC), retail chains, schools, contractors, and homeowners. In June 2026, TerraCycle acquired NLR as part of its strategy to expand plastics recycling operations, with operations continuing without interruption under the same leadership.

Name

NLR

Legal name

NLR Inc.

Website

https://nlr-green.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Acquired

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

NLR Inc. is a vertically integrated universal waste recycler, founded 1994 in East Windsor, CT, operating proprietary in-house lamp recycling technology and providing scheduled regional pickup (FetchPro, 15 Northeast states) plus a national mail-back program (NLR Returns) to enterprises, governments, and SMBs handling lamps, batteries, e-waste, ballasts, and mercury devices.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Universal Waste Recycling Services

NAICS

Hazardous Waste Collection (562112), Waste Treatment and Disposal (5622), Waste Collection (56211)

SIC

Refuse Systems (4953)

akta.pro primary industry

Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) Transfer Stations (BPALABAA)

Keywords

• Universal waste recycling
• Lamp recycling services
• E-waste recycling
• Battery recycling services
• Hazardous waste management

Headquarters

HQ city

East Windsor

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Universal Waste Recycling Services: NLR generates revenue by providing collection, transportation, and recycling services for universal, regulated, and hazardous waste materials. Services include scheduled pickup (FetchPro) and mail-back programs (NLR Returns). Pricing is quote-based, varying by waste type, volume, frequency, and location. The company also provides compliant containers as part of its service offering.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

NLR is a universal waste recycling company that collects, transports, and processes regulated and hazardous waste streams including mercury-containing lamps, batteries, electronics, lighting equipment, and mercury devices. It operates two primary service-delivery platforms: NLR FetchPro (scheduled on-site pickup across the Northeast US using its own licensed fleet) and NLR Returns (a self-service mail-back recycling program available nationwide). The company runs proprietary in-house lamp recycling technology and supplies DOT-compliant containers to support compliant disposal for businesses and small-scale generators.

Product overview

NLR (Northeast Lamp Recycling) is a universal waste recycling company operating as a single unified service platform with two primary service delivery products: NLR FetchPro (scheduled on-site pickup service) and NLR Returns (mail-back recycling program). Both products are supported by a comprehensive range of recycling services covering lamps, batteries, e-waste, lighting equipment, and mercury devices, along with proprietary in-house processing technology and a full container solutions portfolio.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• NLR FetchPro: On-site pickup service for universal waste collection, available throughout the Northeast region.
• NLR Returns
• BakPak

Products and services

• NLR FetchPro

Quantifiable outcome

• NLR has kept mercury out of the environment since 1996, with one mercury thermostat containing up to 3 grams of mercury capable of contaminating a small lake.
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• TerraCyclecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 June 2026NLR was officially acquired by TerraCycle in June 2026 as part of TerraCycle's strategy to expand plastics recycling operations. TerraCycle is a global leader in recycling hard-to-recycle waste. The acquisition opens new opportunities for NLR to offer more innovative recycling solutions and a broader range of services. NLR's day-to-day services continue without interruption, and customers can expect the same quality and care from the team. NLR Inc. had reported that approximately 30 percent of its recycling business handles electronic waste, with about 30 percent of that material consisting of plastics, making it complementary to TerraCycle's plastics recycling expansion goals.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Heritage-Crystal Clean: Specializes in environmental and waste services including used oil, solvents, and parts cleaning, with growing hazardous waste offerings. Comparable to NLR as a regulated waste services provider serving industrial and commercial customers.
• Clean Harbors: North America's largest provider of environmental and industrial services, including hazardous waste collection, treatment, and disposal. Closest direct peer to NLR's regulated/universal waste services across lamps, batteries, mercury devices, and e-waste, though at vastly greater scale.
• Veolia North America: Global environmental services company with significant hazardous waste and recycling operations in the US. Comparable to NLR in handling lamps, e-waste, and mercury-bearing materials through permitted facilities, though at far greater scale and with broader service lines.
• Heritage Environmental Services: US hazardous waste management company providing collection, recycling, and disposal of industrial and universal waste. Closely comparable to NLR's lamp, battery, and mercury device services, particularly for enterprise and government customers.
• Electronic Recyclers International (ERI): Largest e-waste recycling company in the US with secure data destruction, IT asset disposition, and electronics recycling. Directly comparable to NLR's e-waste service line, though focused exclusively on electronics rather than the broader universal waste portfolio.
• GEEP (Global Electric Electronic Processing): IT asset disposition and e-waste recycling provider operating permitted processing facilities. Comparable to NLR's e-waste division, particularly for enterprise IT retirement and secure data destruction.
• Stericycle: Specializes in regulated waste management including hazardous and universal waste streams. Directly comparable to NLR in serving enterprises with compliance-sensitive waste needs, including lamp and battery programs, with broader national coverage.
• Air Cycle Corporation: Specializes in lamp and bulb recycling through the EasyPak mail-back program and Bulb Eater on-site crushing technology. Closest direct peer to NLR's lamp recycling core and NLR Returns mail-back model.

Broad incumbents

• Waste Management Inc. Largest US waste and environmental services provider with national lamp, battery, and e-waste recycling programs. Comparable to NLR on the universal waste streams but at significantly larger scale, broader geography, and as part of a comprehensive solid waste platform.
• Republic Services: One of the largest US solid waste and recycling companies with broad environmental services. Overlaps with NLR in universal waste handling for enterprise customers but offers lamp/battery recycling as part of a much wider portfolio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/Wix
• Facebookfacebook.com/NLRUniversalWaste
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/209792/admin/dashboard
• Instagraminstagram.com/nlr_green
• Xx.com/nlrgreen

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about NLR