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Fluorescent light bulb disposal safety

Fluorescent lights are used in businesses, in homes, in offices, in restrooms; the list goes on and on. Unfortunately, they do not last forever, and eventually they will need to be disposed of. It is important to properly dispose of these light bulbs, rather than just dumping them in the dumpster or another roll-off container. Due to the high-intensity-discharge (HID) containing mercury-vapor, metal-halide, and high-pressure sodium, it is important to properly dispose of fluorescent lights and ensure that they are properly managed.

Compact fluorescent lamps (CFL) have some benefits, including helping to lower greenhouse gases and helping to save energy costs. A CFL will save $30 in energy costs over its lifetime and produce 75 percent less heat, making them safer to use. If every home in Illinois replaced one light bulb with a CFL, enough greenhouse gases would be prevented to be equal to 74,000 cars being removed from the roads. At approximately $2 a bulb, they are highly cost efficient for households to use.

Due to their high mercury content, fluorescent lights are classified as a hazardous waste and are therefore regulated under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act. According to the Illinois Pollution Control Board, fluorescent lights are covered under the Illinois Universal Waste Rule, as well as pesticides, thermostats, and batteries. (Source: Illinois Environmental Protection Agency)

It’s important to check whether your lights are hazardous or not. It’s usually safe to assume that they are hazardous and dispose of them properly, just in case. However, you can also have them tested to see if they are truly hazardous or not. You can also contact the lamp maker to see if they are hazardous or not.

If you use fluorescent lights in your home, you may dispose of them as municipal waste, however, do not dispose of them in dumpsters or other roll-off containers. The Illinois EPA strongly encourages households to take their used lamps to a household hazardous waste collections or a recycler listed in the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency Fact Sheet. This fact sheet should help answer any questions homeowners may have about how to dispose of the lights properly. Call your county recycling coordinator to find the center nearest you.

Fluorescent lamps should only be crushed at a proper facility that is set up to do crushing. A crushing facility is a well-ventilated and monitored area and will help to eliminate mercury emissions from getting out of control while staying within applicable OSHA exposure limits. Crushing fluorescent lamps should only be done by employees who are familiar with the process and the emergency procedures and proper handling of mercury waste. Crushed lamps are stored in closed, leak proof containers.

If you have questions on which locations will accept hazardous waste, specifically fluorescent lights, take a look at the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency Fluorescent Light Recyclers list and for more information on how to properly dispose of fluorescent lights, refer to the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency.

 


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Keeping the Community Clean

Millennium Waste Incorporated is committed to the growth and well being of the Quad Cities area. That’s why it’s so important to us to contribute to community events and activities. As proud members of the cities we serve, we are dedicated to youth involvement and keeping Betterndorf, Davenport, East Moline, Moline, Rock Island and all of our communities clean.

Events and Activities:

  • Extreme Cleanup
  • Quad Cities Marathon
  • Bix 7
  • Greek Fest
  • Cinco De Mayo Festival
  • Bettendorf July 4th Festival

Contact us today with questions or suggestions.

 

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