Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Trash Disposal

  • By Michael Tuymer
  • 02/01/16

WHY CAN’T I THROW MY LAMPS IN THE TRASH?

Lamps contain mercury and in most cases are considered hazardous. The EPA regulates the management of spent lamps. Most states do not allow hazardous lamps to be disposed in solid waste landfills.

WHY IS MERCURY A CONCERN?

Mercury is a metallic element that can accumulate in living tissue. In sufficient concentrations, mercury may cause adverse health effects. Sources of mercury in the environment from human activity include coal-burning power plants, batteries, and fluorescent and HID lamps. Small amounts of mercury are a necessary component in fluorescent and HID lamps, but when a lamp is broken, crushed or dispensed in a landfill or incinerator, mercury may be released to the air, surface water or groundwater. It is a good policy to keep the mercury out of the solid waste stream by recycling.

HOW DO LAMPS GET RECYCLED?

Whether through a bulk pick-up service, prepaid mail-in containers (UN certified for transit), or drums of crushed lamps using a lamp-crushing machine. The waste will arrive at a certified recycling facility where lamps are fed into a specialized machine for recycling lamps. The entire process is fully automatic and incorporated in a container, thereby preventing mercury from being released into the environment. The phosphor powder is separated in different steps from the glass and metal by-products. Clean glass and aluminum end-caps are separated and stored for reuse. The mercury bearing powder is collected in distiller barrels beneath the cyclone and the self-cleansing dust filters. The powder is then retorted to drive out the mercury. At the end of the process the glass, metal end-caps, powder and mercury can all be reused. Once the materials have been fully processed by the recycling facility, an official certificate of recycling will be produced for your record keeping.

This article originally appeared in the issue of .

About the Author

Michael Tuymer is project manager for Air Cycle Corporation. He can be reached at [email protected] or 800/909-9709.

Featured

  • Hawaii Elementary School Breaks Ground on New Classroom Building

    Kealakehe Elementary School in Kailua, Hawaii, recently began construction on a new, $16-million classroom building for its campus, according to a news release. The 13,000-square-foot building will stand two stories and connect the existing upper and lower campuses.

  • Northeastern University Breaks Ground on New Housing Community

    Northeastern University recently announced the groundbreaking of a new student housing community on its campus in Boston, Mass., according to a news release. The university is partnering with American Campus Communities (ACC) for development of the project, which will have the capacity for 1,200 students and has a scheduled completion date of fall 2028.

  • University of Kentucky Receives $150M Gift Toward New Arts District

    The University of Kentucky’s Board of Trustees recently received a $150-million gift from The Bill Gatton Foundation, according to a university news release, to build a new arts district on the campus in Lexington, Ky. The new district will feature a new College of Fine Arts building and a multi-hundred-seat theater, among other amenities.

  • Preparing for the Next Era of Healthcare Education, Innovation

    Across the country, public universities and community colleges are accelerating investments in healthcare education facilities as part of a broader strategy to address workforce shortages, modernize outdated infrastructure, and expand clinical training capacity. These projects, which are often located at the center of campus health and science districts, are no longer limited to traditional classrooms.