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A Reminder From: Globus Electric Inc.
Are You Aware Of The Fines For Discarding Toxic Components?
As your facility's manager trying to lower costs
related to lighting and energy, your first thought is to replace your old and
burned out inefficient fluorescent lamps with the new, longer lasting, more
efficient lamps being manufactured today. Of course, this will increase
efficiencies, though you have to remember that the old lamps must be disposed
of properly due to their toxic components.
With their high mercury content, fluorescent lamps are hazardous and their disposal
is regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency. Due to the amount of
mercury found in lamps and the impact that mercury has on the landfill and
surrounding acres, landfills are getting increasingly negative about accepting
these for disposal. Mercury is highly toxic to your nervous system and, more
importantly, poisonous to your kidneys, so all disposals become a particular
concern.
Recycling has become the suggested method of
disposal, since there are over 600 million fluorescent lamps discarded in the
United States alone each year. This minimizes the future liability of your
facility while helping to protect the environment. The EPA has already accessed
fines in excess of $250,000.
Discarded fluorescent lamps found in landfills
and traced back to your facility, may be subject to retroactive clean-up costs
under the EPA regulations. Because of this clean-up risk, smaller facilities
must now become familiar with the same rules that many larger facilities have
been following for years.
Producers of old lamps who currently recycle
will usually repackage their old lamps in boxes or drums. Even though this
method works well for some facilities, repackaging is labor intensive and very
expensive since it uses expensive production space. Larger facilities are
looking for alternatives that are more efficient while still complying with
state and federal regulations.
To reduce this demand on labor and space,
facilities are turning to newer technologies where the lamps are crushed
on-site, using containers that filter the dust and mercury vapors that are
released during crushing. By crushing your lamps safely, you'll be able to
reduce the storage space and labor needed for repackaging.
After your lamps are crushed or boxed, they will
be picked up and taken to a recycling center where the mercury rich phosphors
are separated from the glass and the metal end caps. The cleaned glass and the
metal end caps are separated, then sold, and reused. The powders are heated and
the liquid mercury is separated and sold in its liquid form.
In light of all these regulations and fines,
Globus Electric will handle the recycling of all your used lamps during every
major re-lamping done at your facility. Even if you presently have lamps that have
been repackaged and are sitting in your expensive production space, you may call us to
handle the removal and recycling.
You're ready now to make the commitment for better safety and protection, so why wait?
Pick up your  today and call
Globus Electric Inc.
for a No Obligation Consultation and Quote.
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