UNIVERSAL WASTE LAMPS

Do lamps contain mercury?

All fluorescent and other lamps containing mercury are considered universal waste when they are discarded. A ?universal waste lamp? is defined as the bulb or tube portion of an electric lighting device. It is estimated that nearly 75 million waste fluorescent lamps and tubes are generated annually in California. These lamps contain more than a half a ton of mercury.

What are current California regulations on recycling or disposing of these lamps?

After February 8, 2006, all fluorescent lamps and tubes in California, including those from households, must be recycled and may not be disposed of in the trash. When mercury-containing lamps are placed in the trash, the lamps are broken and mercury is released to the environment. Mercury vapors from broken lamps can be absorbed through the lungs into the bloodstream. Mercury from broken lamps can also be washed by rainwater into rivers, lakes and oceans, where it bioaccumulates in the food chain. The most likely source of human exposure to mercury is eating fish. Human exposure to organic mercury can result in long-lasting health effects, especially if it occurs during fetal development. Scientists have linked mercury poisoning to impaired childhood development, and nervous system, kidney and liver damage.

We've provided a Mercury Lamp Guide to help identify these types of lamps by sight. Detailed information on these lamps is provided below:

• Mercury-added lamps manufactured after November 30, 2003 will bear a label, which states, "Contains Mercury," or it will have the symbol "Hg" within a circle on the lamp (Hg is the scientific symbol for mercury on the periodic table of elements). This signifies that the bulb contains mercury. Any mercury-containing lamp, regardless of the amount of mercury, SHOULD NOT BE DISCARDED IN THE TRASH. Bulbs containing mercury should be handled as hazardous ("universal") waste, stored carefully to avoid breakage, and properly recycled. Although fluorescent and HID lamps contain mercury, they are more energy efficient than incandescent or halogen bulbs. Because they require less energy, these lamps reduce the amount of pollution from energy production, which includes the emission of mercury from coal combustion.

• The following types of lamps contain mercury:
• Fluorescent tubes, including low mercury tubes.
• Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFL), including low mercury lamps.
• High Intensity Discharge lamps (HID). These bulbs are commonly used in security, outdoor and warehouse lighting. HID lighting is becoming popular for indoor use in commercial settings. The following are HID bulbs:
• Mercury Vapor, such as those sometimes used for street lighting.
• Metal Halide, such as floodlights for large indoor and outdoor areas and gymnasiums.
• High & Low-Pressure Sodium, such as those sometimes used as security and outdoor floodlights.
• HID lighting is also used in vehicle headlamps. HID headlamps can be identified by their characteristic bluish-white tint when lit. Some halogen bulb manufacturers are now applying a blue coating to their bulbs which makes them look like HID bulbs when lit, however, halogen bulbs do not contain mercury.
• Ultraviolet ("Black Light") & Neon lamps

Are there alternatives to using lamps containing mercury?

There are no non-mercury fluorescent or HID bulbs available at this time. Green tip or low-mercury fluorescent lighting contains less mercury, but still SHOULD NOT BE PLACED IN THE TRASH.

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If I can't put these lamps in the trash, how do I dispose of them?

Any mercury-containing lamp, regardless of the amount of mercury, should not be discarded in the trash and must be recycled. Labeled mercury-containing products are banned from landfills. Recycling options differ depending on whether the bulbs are from household use or business or other non-household use.

What can I do with my household mercury lamp waste?

Households may utilize the following recycling opportunities Internal for household hazardous waste and universal waste. Refer to the Mercury - Containing Lamps: Handling and Recycling Guidelines Internal for instructions. By law, the total amount of household hazardous waste that may be transported to the listed collection opportunities is limited to a liquid volume of 15 gallons and a dry weight of 125 pounds. In addition, a household may transport twelve or fewer non-leaking fluorescent light ballasts to any of the listed collection opportunities.

What can I do with my businesses and institutions mercury lamp waste?

Only Conditionally Exempt Small Quantity Universal Waste Generators (CESQUWGs) are eligible to utilize the following recycling opportunities. A CESQUWG is a generator who:

• Disposes of less than 1 kilogram of RCRA acutely hazardous waste, or a combined total of 100 kilograms or less of universal and RCRA hazardous waste, in any calendar month; and
• Generates no more than 5 Cathode Ray Tube Devices in a calendar year.

Because UW-containing devices typically have a low unit weight and are not commonly generated in large quantities at a single facility, it is unlikely that a business would dispose of more than 100 kg at a time. For example, to qualify as a CESQUWG (if the only hazardous waste is mercury-containing lamps), a business can dispose of no more than 300-450 four-foot fluorescent lamps per month. A business is likely to qualify as a CESQUWG unless it generates more than the above quantities of RCRA wastes or CRT Devices.

How do I handle and store bulbs before disposing of them?

• Store bulbs in an area and in a way that will prevent them from breaking.
• Do not break or crush bulbs because mercury may be released. If a bulb is accidentally broken, see Mercury - Containing Lamps: Handling and Recycling Guidelines for bulb breakage clean-up procedure.

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