Innovative and Sustainable: mb-microtec ag Launches Unique Recycling Plant

After years of planning, Swiss company mb-microtec, a leader in self-illuminating gaseous light sources, announces the gradual operation of the world's only tritium gas recycling plant. This system safely and sustainably degrades tritium.

mb-microtec, the inventor of trigalight technology, leads globally in its development and manufacture. The technology uses tritium to make glass capillaries glow with a luminescent powder, lasting for decades without external energy. trigalight is used in various industries, including security, automotive, aerospace, and watch-making. With traser swiss H3 watches, mb-microtec launched the first self-powered illuminating watch.

Production of trigalight generates low-level radioactive tritium waste, previously stored in gas-tight cylinders. The sustainable recycling of this waste has long been a concern for the Bern-based company.

Now, their sustainability efforts are advancing: the unique tritium recycling facility in Niederwangen will be operational in stages, meeting official requirements and continuously optimized. The process, similar to wastewater treatment, extracts and filters tritium for reuse, matching the quality of new tritium. Large amounts of tritium can be processed with low emissions, a key factor for mb-microtec.

This innovation revolutionizes the watch industry: traser swiss H3 watches will be the first to offer sustainably produced self-powered illuminating watches. Future steps include recycling sold products.

With the commissioning of the only active tritium recycling facility, mb-microtec advances sustainability and innovation, earning a nomination for the Prix SVC from over 240 companies. The award will be presented on 19 August 2021 in Bern, affirming the company's direction.

The media, such as the renowned watch magazine Europastar, have also shown interest in the recycling plant.