EPA Packaging Regulations

Shipping, packaging, and handling of fluorescent lamps is a major concern because of the harmful mercury vapor emitted when the lamps are broken, which commonly occurs during shipment. To lessen the health and environmental risks associated with mercury vapor, national laws--sometimes supplemented by more rigorous state laws--exist to encourage proper recycling of fluorescent lamps. EPA encourages recycling of these lamps by allowing common carrier shipment to recycling facilities. To protect people who handle fluorescent lamps, EPA instructs that packaging should be designed to protect against breakage. While the rules mandate that lamps be packaged in structurally sound packages, the federal laws don't explicitly address mercury vapor release.

Read more about State Universal Waste Regulations and Federal Universal Waste Regulations

Brad Buscher
Chairman and CEO
VaporLok Products LLC

State and Federal Packaging Rules and Regulations

Federal regulations do not currently mandate the use of packaging designed to prevent the loss of mercury vapor. However, this may not continue to be the case. As the awareness of the dangers of mercury vapor increases, so have the federal and state rules that regulate its disposal.

In 1999, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) established environmental and transportation regulations, including packaging requirements for fluorescent lamps. They require lamps to be managed in containers designed to prevent breakage. However, they do not require the container to be designed to prevent the loss of mercury vapor. In 2005, the EPA added a requirement mandating that packaging be designed to prevent mercury from escaping into the environment.

The state of Washington recently signed Senate Bill 5543, making this state the first to address the dangers of unsafe packaging and transportation of used fluorescent lamps, as well as other mercury containing devices. Due to the ineffective nature of most packaging configurations utilized for shipping used fluorescent lamps, the new law mandates that these devices are packaged and shipped in material that will minimize the release of mercury into the environment. The law additionally requires packages to include mercury vapor barrier materials if lamps are transported by the United States postal service, a common carrier, or collected via curbside programs and mail-back businesses. Washington has set the precursor for additional states to follow. Read more about additional state regulations regarding safe packaging of used fluorescent lamps.

Brad Buscher
Chairman and CEO
VaporLok Products LLC

Waste Management Curbside Compact Fluorescent Lamp (CFL) Recycling Program Allows Communities to Responsibly Dispose of Used Fluorescent Bulbs

Waste Management, Inc., North America’s largest residential recycler, recently launched a new recycling program that allows communities to recycle used CFLs in a safe, environmentally responsible manner. The curbside CFL recycling program is currently offered in four communities: Rolling Hills Estates, CA; Melbourne, FL; Palm Bay City, FL; and Brevard County, FL, with future plans to implement the service in communities across the country where Waste Management residential recycling services are provided. Residents will receive a specially designed Mercury VaporLok® container that can safely store up to 12 standard CFLs. When the bag is full, residents can call Waste Management to collect the container through their current curbside pickup service. Waste Management can customize this service based on the needs of each community to ensure the program is intuitive and effective.

This new curbside CFL recycling service compliments Waste Management’s ongoing universal waste recycling programs. WM LampTracker®, a division of Waste Management, also provides total-care solutions for the storage, handling, transport and recycling of fluorescent lamps for small, medium and large-scale businesses across North America.

For those communities that do not have Waste Management residential recycling services, residents can recycle their CFLs through Waste Management’s ThinkGreenFromHome.com, which provides consumers with a convenient option to recycle their household universal waste directly from their home with confidence it will be handled safely and responsibly.

Brad Buscher
Chairman and CEO
VaporLok Products LLC

Minimize Safety, Health and Environmental Risks of Used Fluorescent Lamps: Breakage

The fact is, fluorescent lamps are fragile, and along their life cycle from manufacture to disposal—some product will inevitably break. A proven packaging configuration with a zip closure foil-plastic laminate bag is available to effectively contain mercury vapor, allowing safe transportation and storage to recycling facilities and mitigating the danger of mercury vapor exposure. However, if a lamp is broken outside of these containers—during handling and maintenance for instance—the proper steps should be taken to minimize exposure.

The EPA provides guidelines for cleaning up a broken fluorescent light, including a CFL or fluorescent bulb. First, the facility’s maintenance personnel should empty the room of people and pets, airing the area out for 15 minutes or more. The glass fragments should then be carefully picked up (with stiff paper or cardboard) and placed in a glass jar with a metal lid. Remaining fragments should be removed by the use of sticky tape, but a vacuum and/or broom should not be used. For additional information and a more complete clean-up guide, visit the EPA’s website.

Read our previous posts in this series on how to handle, store, transport and recycle used fluorescent lamps.

Brad Buscher
Chairman and CEO
VaporLok Products LLC