Wednesday, August 29, 2012

What Mercury?

While the amount of mercury used in an individual fluorescent bulb has decreased over the past years, one broken 4-foot fluorescent lamp in a small room or vehicle can release enough mercury vapor to exceed the OSHA mercury exposure 8-hour limit—posing a significant occupational health risk. Plus, mercury vapor can be emitted for weeks after a single bulb is broken.

In their lifetime, fragile fluorescent lamps are handled by manufacturers, transporters, distributors, retailers, consumers and installers, as well as recycling or waste handlers. Although the lamps could break anywhere down this line and expose workers and the environment to hazardous mercury vapors, there are no universally enforced packaging standards designed to protect these people.

While some steps have been taken to encourage safe recycling and disposal of fluorescent lamps, this fact remains: although a variety of containers are marketed for transportation of fluorescent lamps, many don't provide necessary levels of protection against mercury vapor in the occurrence of breakage. Using a proven packaging design with a vapor resistant lining is vital to ensuring the safety of persons who work with or near fluorescent bulbs, as well as for protecting the surrounding environment, especially as fluorescent lighting continues to grow in popularity and practicality. Currently, only one package design, which includes a vapor resistant and zip seal bag, has proven effective in containing mercury vapor.

Brad Buscher
Chairman and CEO
VaporLok Products LLC

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Shipping Fluorescent Lamps

A suitable mercury storage or shipping package can effectively contain vapors emitted by broken fluorescent lamps and compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs), but those vapors can reach dangerously high levels inside of the package. A study by NUCON International, Inc. recently tested mercury vapor levels inside and outside containment packaging and found a need for an adsorbent technology that could capture vapor before it escaped from the inside of the package. NUCON broke 40 fluorescent lamps in a mercury-safe containment bag and measured vapor levels outside of the package for leakage, and inside the bag for vapor concentrations. The tests from outside of the packaging showed the vapor was being contained, with only slight leakage that was well within safety limits. However, results from inside the containment bag yielded extremely high and unsafe vapor readings of 150 to 300 times the OSHA 8-hour personal exposure limit (PEL).

It is important to be aware that while mercury vapor can be contained in specific packages, if that package is perforated or opened, vapor levels could be dangerously high inside the bag and seep out. The need for capturing mercury vapor to prevent seepage can be achieved by including an adsorbent technology in the containment packaging. The NUCON study found that a new, patent-pending adsorbent can reduce vapor levels by nearly 60 percent in 15 minutes, and after 12 hours levels are reduced by over 95 percent. Recently announced at the Air & Waste Management Association’s Conference & Exhibition, this adsorbent technology can capture the mercury vapor in the package, protecting users against dangerously high vapor levels resulting from incidental exposure during the accumulation, storage and transportation of lamps. Additionally, a small consumer-size recycling bag, now available, features this technology and allows people to safely store three to four used lamps at home before taking them to a retailer or municipality that accepts CFLs for recycling.

View a short animated depiction of the adsorption process at http://www.vaporlokproducts.com/capturedemo.

Monday, August 13, 2012

Absorbing Mercury Vapor

The health risks associated with mercury vapor exposure underscore the importance of safe recycling and disposal of fluorescent lamps and compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs). Mercury vapor, which can be absorbed through the skin or inhaled, can cause neurological damage in adults, children and fetuses. Efforts to protect consumers and CFL handlers are currently focused on containing the mercury vapor in specially designed mercury storage and shipping containers. Yet when these packages are opened or perforated, dangerous levels of vapor can escape from broken bulbs. To protect against the possibility of vapor exposure, a newly released, patent-pending adsorbent can be included within mercury storage and shipping containers.

This adsorbent was recently announced at the Air & Waste Management Association’s Conference & Exhibition and is placed within a storage and shipping package. Commercially-used packages should be made up of three layers—with a foil-plastic bag positioned between two cardboard box layers. The adsorbent is impregnated with powdered activated carbon and proprietary inert chemicals, and adheres to the interior flap of the box. According to a study by NUCON International, Inc., a world-wide leader in providing gas, vapor and liquid phase adsorption solutions, the adsorbent can effectively capture mercury vapor and reduce vapor levels by nearly 60 percent after only 15 minutes, more than 70 percent within an hour and over 95 percent after 12 hours, protecting consumers and handlers from mercury vapor exposure. A small consumer-size recycling bag, now available, features this technology and allows people to safely store three to four used lamps at home before taking them to a retailer or municipality that accepts CFLs for recycling.

View a short animated depiction of the adsorption process at http://www.vaporlokproducts.com/capturedemo or download a detailed White Paper on this technology at http://www.vaporlokproducts.com/capturewhitepaper.pdf.

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Dangers of Mercury Vapor

Mercury vapor can be detrimental to consumers’ and handlers’ health—from those involved with handling new fluorescent bulbs to people involved with storing, packaging and shipping used and broken lamps. Vapor released from shattered lamps can be contained in specifically designed mercury storage packages, but concentrations inside this packaging can remain dangerously high, creating a risk if the package is opened or perforated. The vapors can be captured within mercury-safe packages with the inclusion of a new, patent-pending adsorbent technology that effectively reduces vapor levels over periods of time.

A Study by NUCON International, Inc., a world-wide leader in providing gas, vapor and liquid phase adsorption solutions, found the adsorbent showed an immediate reduction of mercury vapors by nearly 60 percent after 15 minutes. After 12 hours, the reduction can reach more than 95 percent. This technology, recently announced at the Air & Waste Management Association’s Conference & Exhibition, provides consumers and transporters who come into contact with used CFLs a safe way to handle them. With the vapor contained and captured in safe packaging, consumers’ and handlers’ risks of vapor leaks or seepage are greatly reduced. Also, a small consumer-size recycling bag, available soon, will feature this technology and allow people to safely store three to four used lamps at home before taking them to a retailer or municipality that accepts CFLs for recycling.

View a short animated depiction of the adsorption process at http://www.vaporlokproducts.com/capturedemo.

Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Proper Packaging for CFLs

Safely recycling used fluorescent lamps and compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) is important for the environment, but also for the health of consumers and handlers who come into contact with them. Exposure to mercury vapors can lead to significant risks including neurological damage. Despite the potential health issues, fluorescent lamps and CFLs are growing steadily in the industrial, commercial and residential markets. They are four to six times more efficient than incandescent bulbs, offer energy cost savings and deliver a longer working life. In order to safely dispose of and recycle used fluorescent lamps and CFLs, they must be properly packaged in an effective mercury-safe storage or shipping container that includes an adsorbent technology.

A study by NUCON International, Inc., a world-wide leader in providing gas, vapor and liquid phase adsorption solutions for mercury and other contaminants to the nuclear and other industries, found that within mercury-specific packaging, vapor levels can reach over 150 to 300 times OSHA’s 8-hour permissible exposure limit. A new, patent-pending adsorbent technology, recently announced at the Air & Waste Management Association’s Conference & Exhibition, can significantly reduce the mercury vapor levels in these storage and recycling packages. Levels were reduced by nearly 60 percent in only 15 minutes and over 95 percent after 12 hours, according to the study. The adsorbent is impregnated with powdered, activated carbon and reacted with proprietary inert chemicals, allowing it to effectively capture and reduce the mercury vapor from shattered lamps to a safe level within the shipping and storage package. In addition, the adsorbent can accommodate the high volume of mercury vapor that is released when several or all bulbs in a full package are broken. This provides an added layer of protection against incidental mercury exposure, offering consumers and other handlers a safer way to recycle their used fluorescent lamps and CFLs. A small consumer-size recycling bag, available soon, will also feature this technology and allow people to safely store three to four used lamps at home before taking them to a retailer or municipality that accepts CFLs for recycling.

View a short animated depiction of the adsorption process at http://www.vaporlokproducts.com/capturedemo.

Download a detailed White Paper on this technology at http://www.vaporlokproducts.com/capturewhitepaper.pdf.