Tuesday, June 16, 2015
San Diego County offers free recycling for small business!
For a limited time San Diego will provide free recycling kits to small businesses for the collection of used mercury lamps. The county has received federal funds to stimulate recycling, and ALMR member, Lighting Resources is providing the recycling services .
To learn more about how your business can take part contact Karilyn Merlos at (858) 495-5799, or complete the information sheet at
http://www.sdcounty.ca.gov/deh/hazmat/pdf/chd_BusParticipationForm.pdf
Minnesota community offers free compact light bulbs and free recycling for the old ones!
Minnesota community offers free compact light bulbs and free recycling for the old ones!
(Article by Bryan Zollman of the Sauk Centre Herald reprinted with permission)
Customers of the Sauk Centre, MN Public Utilities Commission can exchange unbroken bulbs for new ones.
The PUC is offering a program to help residents recycle their compact fluorescent light bulbs. Because the bulbs contain mercury and it costs to have them recycled, the PUC is making sure people don’t dispose of them in their garbage and is offering a new light bulb free of charge for any unbroken bulb turned in.
“Right now they have to pay to get rid of them because they are considered a hazardous waste,” said PUC Superintendent Marty Sunderman. “Who is going to drive out to have their bulbs disposed of and pay $5 to do it? Nobody.”
The PUC is offering the program throughout the rest of the year. They will collect the burnt out bulbs and store them in a safe area until the county-wide clean up date. The county will then dispose of them properly at no charge to the city.
“This program is good for the environment and it’s good for the customer,” Sunderman said. “It’s a great program for everyone.” The PUC will not collect any broken bulbs, and you must be a PUC customer to take advantage of the program.
The Sauk Centre Public Utilities building is located at 101 Main Street, across the street from the water fountain at Sinclair Lewis Park. The PUC can be contacted at 320-352-6538.
(Article by Bryan Zollman of the Sauk Centre Herald reprinted with permission)
Customers of the Sauk Centre, MN Public Utilities Commission can exchange unbroken bulbs for new ones.
The PUC is offering a program to help residents recycle their compact fluorescent light bulbs. Because the bulbs contain mercury and it costs to have them recycled, the PUC is making sure people don’t dispose of them in their garbage and is offering a new light bulb free of charge for any unbroken bulb turned in.
“Right now they have to pay to get rid of them because they are considered a hazardous waste,” said PUC Superintendent Marty Sunderman. “Who is going to drive out to have their bulbs disposed of and pay $5 to do it? Nobody.”
The PUC is offering the program throughout the rest of the year. They will collect the burnt out bulbs and store them in a safe area until the county-wide clean up date. The county will then dispose of them properly at no charge to the city.
“This program is good for the environment and it’s good for the customer,” Sunderman said. “It’s a great program for everyone.” The PUC will not collect any broken bulbs, and you must be a PUC customer to take advantage of the program.
The Sauk Centre Public Utilities building is located at 101 Main Street, across the street from the water fountain at Sinclair Lewis Park. The PUC can be contacted at 320-352-6538.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Tennessee Lamp Recycling Law
State Senate
State of Tennessee
Recycling group applauds Tennessee for enacting legislation protecting the environment by keeping harmful mercury out of landfills
Contact: Darlene Schlicher (615) 741-6336 or email: darlene.schlicher@capitol.tn.gov
(NASHVILLE, TN), August 11, 2010 – The Association of Lighting and Mercury Recyclers (ALMR) today applauded legislation sponsored by Senate Environment and Conservation Chairman Steve Southerland (R-Morristown) and State Representative David Hawk (R-Greeneville) to keep toxic mercury-added consumer products from being improperly disposed in landfills in Tennessee. The new law, Public Chapter 840, provides assistance through the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation for tanning bed facilities and large employers to recycle mercury containing products, which are predominantly fluorescent light bulbs.
“The ALMR applauds Tennessee for enacting this important law to keep harmful mercury out of the garbage and protect the environment,” said Paul Abernathy, Executive Director of the ALMR." The ALMR is a national organization that assists government and business with outreach and education for the promotion of mercury recovery from wastes. “We appreciate Senator Southerland and his colleagues’ efforts to help the business community become compliant and divert these wastes into recycling programs.”
“Improper management and disposal of these bulbs have been releasing mercury into the environment,” said Senator Southerland. “This causes hazardous contamination of land and waterways, which places our children’s future in danger.”
Health problems associated with mercury exposure include digestive, cardiovascular, nervous system and kidney-related illness. Experts maintain yearly usage of mercury containing lamps is in excess of one billion nationwide.
Other lighting products, besides fluorescent light bulbs, containing mercury includes high intensity discharge bulbs and projector lamps. In addition, the waste also includes many common materials like batteries, some electronic equipment, switches and thermostats. Abernathy said the legislation does not impose any hardship on businesses or the state government because there are already complete programs available through recycling facilities.
“All these items are easy to keep out of the environment by sending them to authorized recyclers. There are cost-effective recycling programs for business of all sizes” said Steve Barnett of Southeast Recycling Technologies, Inc. “Any costs for recycling light bulbs are very small compared to huge energy savings from using mercury bulbs in the first place” said Barnett, whose company services the entire state and southeast region.”
For more information see www.recyclebulbs.com or www.almr.org
Monday, August 27, 2007
Illinois Law Requires State Buildings to Recycle
Illinois governor, Rod Blagojevich recently signed a bill that requires all state facilities in buildings greater than 1,000 square feet to recycle their fluorescent bulbs. It also requires that only Energy Star bulbs be purchased in the future.
North Carolina Requires More Comprehensive Lamp Recycling
SENATE BILL 1256
PART XLII. THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES TO DEVELOP A PROPOSAL FOR A RECYCLING PROGRAM FOR FLUORESCENT LAMPS (H.B. 838 – Harrison, Fisher)
SECTION 42. The Division of Waste Management and the Division of Pollution Prevention and Environmental Assistance of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources shall jointly develop a proposal for a recycling program for fluorescent lamps. The program will be developed so as to ensure that substantially all of the mercury contained in fluorescent lamps will be recovered so as to facilitate a phase‑out of incandescent lamps without damage to public health and the environment from the increased use of mercury lamps as replacements for fluorescent lamps. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources shall report its findings and recommendations, including legislative proposals and cost estimates, to the Environmental Review Commission on or before March 1, 2008
PART XLII. THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES TO DEVELOP A PROPOSAL FOR A RECYCLING PROGRAM FOR FLUORESCENT LAMPS (H.B. 838 – Harrison, Fisher)
SECTION 42. The Division of Waste Management and the Division of Pollution Prevention and Environmental Assistance of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources shall jointly develop a proposal for a recycling program for fluorescent lamps. The program will be developed so as to ensure that substantially all of the mercury contained in fluorescent lamps will be recovered so as to facilitate a phase‑out of incandescent lamps without damage to public health and the environment from the increased use of mercury lamps as replacements for fluorescent lamps. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources shall report its findings and recommendations, including legislative proposals and cost estimates, to the Environmental Review Commission on or before March 1, 2008
Monday, May 7, 2007
Drum-Top Crushing Criteria Available
Drum Top Crushing is a widespread practice that remains surrounded by confusion. Some states don’t allow it and those that do have a mixed set of policies that don’t assure the safe use of the technology or guarantee recycling. Seeking clarity and uniformity, the ALMR has presented EPA and all the States with a set of Guidance Criteria, or Best Management Practices to improve peoples understanding and management of the practice.
www.almr.org/ALMR Criteria for use of DTCs- pdf.pdf Click here to download the PDF.
www.almr.org/ALMR Criteria for use of DTCs- pdf.pdf Click here to download the PDF.
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