VaporLok Products, LLC

Fluorescent Lamp Disposal State Regulations

2012-01-25T07:20:00.000-08:00

While the federal government doesn't require recycling of all fluorescent lighting, several states have addressed this health issue with their own, more specific regulations regarding fluorescent lamp disposal. Minnesota, Massachusetts, California and Vermont are among states that prohibit disposal of all mercury-product waste in landfills. New York has a similar ban, with an exemption for households and businesses with 100 or less employees disposing of 15 or less non-hazardous waste lamps per month. Many other states prohibit non-household generators from disposing of any mercury containing fluorescent lamps in solid waste landfills regardless of TCLP test results, including Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire, Florida and Rhode Island.

Brad Buscher
Chairman and CEO
VaporLok Products LLC

Study Results Indicate the Need for Safer Packaging, Storage and Transportation of Used Fluorescent Lamps

2012-01-18T07:20:00.000-08:00

Results of a recent study conducted by a research team at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health, Division of Environmental Health Sciences suggest that most containers used for storage and transportation of used fluorescent lamps to recycling centers do not provide necessary levels of protection against mercury vapors emitted from broken lamps.

The study, published in the March 2009 issue of the Journal of the Air & Waste Management Association, found that of the five packages tested in the study, just one configuration—consisting of a zip-closure plastic-foil laminate bag layered between two cardboard boxes—minimized exposure levels below acceptable occupational limits, as defined by state and federal regulations and guidelines.

Based on the measurements of mercury vapor from single broken fluorescent bulbs, it was determined the need for additional research to quantify emissions from various types of packaging. The results indicate that emissions from packages not designed to contain mercury vapor represent a real health and safety concern.

Brad Buscher
Chairman and CEO
VaporLok Products LLC

Pros and Cons of Fluorescent Lamps

2012-01-11T07:27:00.000-08:00

Fluorescent lamps and CFLs are four to six times more efficient than their incandescent counterparts and emit about the same amount of visible light, all while offering longer working life and saving significant energy costs. Further, energy-efficient lighting is one of the lowest-cost ways for the nation to reduce electricity use and greenhouse gases. Although incandescent light bulbs may seem like the cheaper option at the counter, consumers will actually save money on CFLs in the long run. While a CFL may cost about $2.00 per bulb, compared to about $0.50 cents for an incandescent bulb, a CFL is four to six times more efficient than an incandescent and lasts an estimated 8 to 15 times as long as an incandescent.

While all of this is positive, there is one major con to fluorescent lamps: mercury. Fluorescent bulbs and CFLs contain small quantities of mercury—which can cause environmental, safety and health consequences. 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.

Due to their mercury content, disposing of fluorescent lamps and CFLs is an important issue. It is important for consumers to realize that CFLs and fluorescent bulbs require special handling and disposal. They should be properly stored, transported and recycled to prevent these fragile bulbs from breaking and emitting hazardous mercury vapor. Learn how to safely clean up a broken bulb or safely package a used bulb to send to a recycling facility.

Brad Buscher
Chairman and CEO
VaporLok Products LLC

“Mad As a Hatter”: Truth or Myth

2012-01-04T06:45:00.000-08:00

Mercury has long been known to be toxic. The phrase "mad as a hatter" refers to the 19th-century occupational disease that resulted from prolonged contact with the mercury used in the manufacture of felt hats. Along with felt hats, mercury has been taken out of many manufacturing processes and products—as the dangers of mercury exposure become more well known.

Most mercury pesticides have been withdrawn from the U.S. market, and many countries banned ocean dumping of mercury and other pollutants in 1972. Production of mercury-containing interior and exterior paints in the United States was phased out in 1991. Mercury, which has been used in medicines for hundreds of years, continues to be used in various folk remedies that can cause mercury exposures. The use of mercury in dental amalgam for tooth fillings has stirred escalating controversy in recent years. Most other medical uses have been banned or are being phased out.

Despite these changes, some workers today, especially laboratory technicians, nurses, and machine operators, continue to be exposed to mercury on the job. Elemental mercury (the silver liquid familiar in thermometers) is a common occupational source of exposure. Fragile fluorescent lamps and compact fluorescent lamps if broken represent another mercury exposure risk as they are handled by manufacturers, transporters, distributors, retailers, consumers and installers, as well as recycling or waste handlers. There are currently no universally enforced packaging standards designed to protect these people. There now exists a proven packaging design with a vapor resistant and zip seal bag that should be mandated to protect people who work with or near fluorescent lamps, as well as for protecting the surrounding environment.

Brad Buscher
Chairman and CEO
VaporLok Products LLC

What Are Permissible Mercury Vapor Exposure Limits?

2011-12-28T07:09:00.000-08:00

We all know that mercury vapor can be detrimental to the health and safety of not only ourselves, but also to the environment. But how much is too much? The Federal Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) set a mercury permissible exposure limit (PEL) of 0.1 mg/m3 (8-hr time-weighted average [TWA]). Some state OSHA programs regulate a stricter mercury vapor limit of 0.05 mg/m3 (8-hr TWA). Additionally, the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) recommends an a guideline of 0.025 mg/m3; this is the same value regulated by California OSHA.

One broken 48-inch fluorescent lamp in a small room or vehicle can release enough mercury vapor to exceed the Federal OSHA PEL. Mercury vapor concentrations could exceed occupational exposure levels when working with or near broken bulbs, especially when multiple bulbs are stored or shipped in bulk to recycling facilities. Based on measurements of mercury vapor from single broken fluorescent bulbs, there is a need for additional research to quantify emissions from various types of packaging. The results indicate that emissions from packages not designed to contain mercury vapor represent a real health and safety concern to those involved in its storage, transport and disposal, as well as a legal hazard for any businesses that do not adhere to these stipulations. Recent research has shown that only one current 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

Where Do Mercury Wastes End Up?

2011-12-21T07:04:00.001-08:00

A significant volume of mercury-containing waste in the U.S. is finding its way into Canadian landfills because some treatment standards, recovery requirements and enforcement of those standards are less stringent than in the U.S. U.S. federal regulations require that hazardous wastes including mercury be treated using “Best Demonstrated Available Technology” which requires high temperature retorting. According to one report, if exports to Canada continue, U.S.-based mercury recycling facilities will be undermined. Likewise, investments in the best available technology will be punished instead of rewarded.

Uniform national policies in both the U.S. and Canada that prohibits land disposal would help eliminate confusion from the disparate policies. Infrastructure and recycling capacity already exist, but as long as exemptions and low enforcement remain, and recycling remains optional, increasing the rate will continue to be a struggle. Suffice it to say, U.S. and Canadian mercury recycling laws are in need of a major overhaul to protect the environment in the years to come.

Brad Buscher
Chairman and CEO
VaporLok Products LLC

How Many Fluorescent Lamps are Recycled?

2011-12-14T07:22:00.000-08:00

According to the EPA, recycling rates of fluorescent lamps are estimated at only 20 to 25 percent, leaving the majority to be placed in dumpsters and eventually end up in landfills—where they may emit hazardous mercury vapor into the environment. The consumer recycling rate has been estimated to be even lower—possibly at less than 2 percent.

Mercury-containing waste that isn’t properly recycled poses a serious environmental and health concern. However, taking waste to a recycling center may not always be the most efficient solution. Consumers can use a recycling box to ship bulbs instead. If consumers choose this option, it is important to select a packaging configuration that effectively contains mercury vapor. A recent study conducted by the University of Minnesota tested the effectiveness of various packages in containing mercury vapor emitted from broken fluorescent lamps. The study found that many packages do not sufficiently contain mercury vapor, such as single-layer cardboard boxes (representing the original manufacturer’s box or container) as well as single layer boxes with a sealed plastic bag. Just one configuration—consisting of a zip-closure plastic-foil laminate bag layered between two cardboard boxes—minimized exposure levels below acceptable occupational limits, as defined by state and federal regulations and guidelines. Find out more about this proven packaging method at: http://vaporlok.blogspot.com/2010/05/layers-of-protection-packaging-used.html. If a bulb breaks, consumers can learn more about clean-up procedures here: http://www.epa.gov/cfl/cflcleanup-detailed.html

Brad Buscher
Chairman and CEO
VaporLok Products LLC

Would Your Office Benefit from Fluorescent Bulbs?

2011-12-07T07:15:00.001-08:00

Many businesses strive to keep management expenses low, ensure energy efficiency and provide a safe work environment for employees. When it comes to selecting lighting, all of these aspects must be factored in. Fluorescent lamps have long been the best lighting option for small to large businesses, due to their significant energy savings—providing four to six times higher efficiency than incandescent lights—and long working life. However, these lamps contain hazardous mercury and, from installation to disposal, they must be carefully handled, stored and transported.

While the amount of mercury used in an individual fluorescent bulb has decreased over the past years, one broken four-foot fluorescent lamp in a small room or vehicle can release enough mercury vapor to exceed the OSHA mercury exposure eight-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. Recent legislation has begun to address the issue of safe packaging for fluorescent lamps and other mercury-containing products, and businesses must work to not only comply with these regulations, but also ensure the safety of all personnel in addition to protecting the environment.

Brad Buscher
Chairman and CEO
VaporLok Products LLC

Clean-Up Guide for CFLs and Fluorescent Bulbs

2011-11-30T07:26:00.001-08:00

As a result of a growing green movement and new government regulations—including an Act of Congress to cease the manufacture of incandescent lamps by 2013—the use of more energy efficient lights, such as CFLs, continues to increase. Like all fluorescent lights, CFLs contain hazardous mercury vapor, which is emitted when these fragile bulbs break and causes significant health and safety issues, as well as environmental concerns.

What should you do if a CFL breaks in your home? A Maine Compact Fluorescent Lamp Breakage Study found that mercury concentration in a room can exceed permissible exposure levels, even from the breakage of a single CFL. For a clean-up guide, click here: http://www.maine.gov/dep/rwm/homeowner/cflreport/appendixe.pdf

Brad Buscher
Chairman and CEO
VaporLok Products LLC

Can Mercury Waste Be Treated On-site?

2011-11-23T07:03:00.001-08:00

Last week we looked at where mercury is found in our daily lives. This week, we will address what is being done in regards to pollution control of mercury emissions. Possible changes in government regulations could allow on-site treatment methods, which could make it possible to clean-up areas that are otherwise considered too cost- and time-prohibitive to treat. For instance, a planned cleanup of a 40-mile section of the Hudson River in New York illustrates the need for on-site treatment. The area is heavily contaminated with PCBs, but the off-site method for the PCB disposal will lead to liberation of huge quantities of mercury.

It is an incongruent challenge because in trying to remove one form of pollution, they will generate another—which is thought to be the lesser of two evils. Theoretically, the 40-mile stretch would generate many billions of tons of waste. If sent to a typical plant, the quantity of waste would take the next 1,000 years to process. Not only would the time requirements be impractical, but the transportation costs would be huge—making it a cost-prohibitive and impractical solution.

Instead, the government may one day allow on-site treatment options, and companies will be gearing up in the coming years to provide services, technology and engineering to make it possible.

Brad Buscher
Chairman and CEO
VaporLok Products LLC

Where is Mercury Found in Our Daily Lives?

2011-11-16T07:08:00.001-08:00

As we are all aware of by now, mercury vapor is found in fluorescent lamps and compact fluorescent lamps. However, mercury compounds are also used in many other ways. Calomel (mercurous chloride, Hg2Cl2) is a standard in electrochemical measurements and in medicine as a purgative. Mercuric chloride (corrosive sublimate, HgCl2) is an insecticide, a rat poison, and a disinfectant. Mercuric oxide is used in skin ointments. Mercuric sulfate is a catalyst in organic chemistry. Vermilion, a red pigment, is mercuric sulfide; another crystalline form of the sulfide (also used as a pigment) is black. Mercury fulminate, Hg(CNO)2, is a detonator. Mercury forms many organic compounds. Mercurochrome (in 2% aqueous solution) is used in medicine as a topical antiseptic. Whatever the usage, any products that can emit dangerous levels of mercury should be stored and transported in a packaging configuration proven to contain mercury vapor. 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

Understanding Mercury Waste Regulations

2011-11-09T07:14:00.000-08:00

Mercury waste regulations are important to ensure a healthy and safe environment. Local and state environmental regulations and EPA enforcement of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) and the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA), regulate the generation, treatment, storage, handling, clean-up, transportation and disposal of hazardous wastes, including products which contain mercury. Mercury-containing lamps, batteries, and medical and electrical equipment and devices are regulated as Universal Wastes. Find out more at these United States Environmental Protection Agency Sites:

Federal Mercury Regulations

State Mercury Legislation and Regulations

State Universal Waste Regulations

Federal Universal Waste Regulations

State Mercury Medical & Dental Waste Programs

1997 Mercury Report to Congress

Brad Buscher
Chairman and CEO
VaporLok Products LLC

Are Packaging Regulations for Fluorescent Lamps too Lenient?

2011-11-02T07:46:00.000-07:00

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is one of the organizations challenged with the task of simultaneously encouraging the use of energy-efficient fluorescent lamps, while also protecting the environment and people from harmful mercury vapor. The EPA permits common carrier shipment to recycling facilities, and the federal Universal Waste Rule requires packaging to be compatible with the contents of lamps, structurally sound and adequate to prevent breakage—but this rule does not specifically address mercury vapor release.

In 2005, a provision was added that requires packaging for mercury-containing products to be "reasonably designed to prevent the escape of mercury into the environment by volatilization or any other means." However, fluorescent lamps were excluded from this rule.

This may change. More recent federal regulations applicable to other mercury wastes (like switches, thermostats and thermometers) require management in packaging designed to prevent the loss of mercury vapor. Stay tuned for more information abut specific upcoming laws.

Brad Buscher
Chairman and CEO
VaporLok Products LLC

Incandescent Bulbs: Higher Mercury Content than Fluorescent Lamps?

2011-10-26T07:55:00.001-07:00

Incandescent bulbs actually result in more mercury than CFLs or fluorescent lamps. Because mercury is a byproduct of burning coal, coal-fired power plants are one of the largest sources of mercury pollution. Since incandescent bulbs use several times more electricity over their lifetimes, they require far more power generation and, ultimately, result in more mercury emission than fluorescents. With the coming “maximal achievable technology” clean air standards, it is fully expected that mercury emissions will have to be severely reduced in order to stop this proliferation. Fluorescent lights are four to six times more efficient than incandescent lamps, significantly reducing the power demand from local utilities. The reduced demand for electricity in turn reduces both greenhouse gas and mercury emissions.

Brad Buscher
Chairman and CEO
VaporLok Products LLC

Selecting the Greener Light Bulb

2011-10-19T07:30:00.000-07:00

As rising energy costs and environmental concerns become increasingly important factors in consumers’ and businesses’ purchasing selections, fluorescent lamps and CFLs have increased in popularity. CFLs emit approximately the same amount of visible light as incandescents, but they last 8 to 15 times as long and provide significant energy savings. The use of more efficient lighting options, such as CFLs, is one of easiest and lowest-cost ways for the nation to reduce electricity use and greenhouse gases. However, these lamps are fragile and, upon breaking, they release mercury vapor that can be detrimental to handlers' health—from those involved with handling new bulbs to people involved with storing, packaging and shipping used lamps.

Mercury-containing lamps need to be recycled properly. Fluorescent lamps should be taken to a recycling center or placed in one of a variety of containers that are marketed for transportation of fluorescent lamps and CFLs, however, many don't provide sufficient protection against mercury vapor emitted from broken lamps. Using a proven packaging design is vital to ensuring the safety of people who handle these lamps, as well as maintaining their green benefits. Read about a recent study that tested several packaging configurations.

Brad Buscher
Chairman and CEO
VaporLok Products LLC

Toxic Mercury No More?

2011-10-12T07:34:00.000-07:00

According to recent statements, CFL maker GE is trying to kill the myth that CFLs and fluorescent bulbs contain toxic levels of mercury. This begs the question; exactly how much mercury does a CFL bulb contain and why is it there?

Let’s address the first part of the question. 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.

Now, let’s take a look at why CFL bulbs really need mercury. Mercury is an essential component of energy-efficient fluorescent lamps, allowing them to produce light and provide a longer life in comparison to incandescent bulbs. A typical fluorescent lamp is composed of a phosphor coated glass tube with electrodes located at either end. The tube contains mercury, of which only a very small amount is in vapor form. When a voltage is applied, the electrodes energize the mercury vapor, causing it to emit ultraviolet (UV) energy. The phosphor coating absorbs the UV energy, causing the phosphor to fluoresce and emit visible light.

While the amount of mercury required is very small, and a necessary component, mercury from fluorescent lamps still poses significant health and environmental issues, and lamps should be properly stored, transported and recycled in a packaging configuration proven to effectively contain mercury vapor.

Brad Buscher
Chairman and CEO
VaporLok Products LLC

Recycling Fluorescent Lamps: What Happens After You’ve Disposed of Them?

2011-10-05T07:24:00.000-07:00

Recycled lamps are sent to a recycling facility via truck, UPS or FedEx® in bulk or in pre-paid shipping recycling boxes, such as the Waste Management® LampTracker® system, which is specifically designed to accommodate various sized lamps and effectively contain mercury vapor emitted from broken lamps.

Once received, the recycler crushes the lamps, along with other contaminated products, devices and debris, to safely exhaust the mercury vapor and extract and reuse the resultant mercury—ensuring mercury is not released into the environment. The remaining debris is then placed in 55-gallon drums and sent to a retort facility—where the drums are heated to high temperatures to eliminate any remaining mercury. Any remaining glass and aluminum is furthered recycled and reused.

This process reduces the potential dangers of mercury vapor emitted from used fluorescent lamps—effectively reducing environmental liability and protecting both handlers and consumers from potential safety hazards and health risks.

Brad Buscher
Chairman and CEO
VaporLok Products LLC

Fluorescent Lamp and CFL Disposal

2011-09-28T08:12:00.000-07:00

Disposing of mercury-containing products, including fluorescent lamps and CFLs, is an important issue. It is important for consumers to realize that CFLs and fluorescent bulbs require special handling and disposal. Like all mercury-containing fluorescent lights, CFLs should be properly stored, transported and recycled to prevent these fragile bulbs from breaking and emitting hazardous mercury vapor. They cannot be thrown away in the trash, but should be taken to a recycling center or disposed of by using a proven recycling box.

However, taking them to a recycling center may not always be the most efficient solution. Consumers can use a recycling box to ship bulbs instead. If consumers choose this option, it is important to select a packaging configuration that effectively contains mercury vapor. A recent study conducted by the University of Minnesota tested the effectiveness of various packages in containing mercury vapor emitted from broken fluorescent lamps. The study found that many packages do not sufficiently contain mercury vapor, such as single-layer cardboard boxes (representing the original manufacturer’s box or container) as well as single layer boxes with a sealed plastic bag. Just one configuration—consisting of a zip-closure plastic-foil laminate bag layered between two cardboard boxes—minimized exposure levels below acceptable occupational limits, as defined by state and federal regulations and guidelines.

To learn more about recycling options, read our How Can You Easily Recycle Used Fluorescent Bulbs blog post.

Brad Buscher
Chairman and CEO
VaporLok Products LLC

Why Should You Make the Switch?

2011-09-21T07:10:00.000-07:00

Mercury and Fluorescent Lamps

2011-09-14T07:26:00.000-07:00

Mercury Permissible Exposure Limit: How Much is Too Much?

2011-09-07T08:12:00.000-07:00

The Federal Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) set a mercury permissible exposure limit (PEL) of 0.1 mg/m3 (8-hr time-weighted average [TWA]).1 Some state OSHA programs regulate a stricter mercury vapor limit of 0.05 mg/m3 (8-hr TWA). Additionally, the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) recommends an a guideline of 0.025 mg/m3; this is the same value regulated by California OSHA.2

One broken 48-inch fluorescent lamp in a small room or vehicle can release enough mercury vapor to exceed the Federal OSHA PEL. Mercury vapor concentrations could exceed occupational exposure levels when working with or near broken bulbs, especially when multiple bulbs are stored or shipped in bulk to recycling facilities. Based on measurements of mercury vapor from single broken fluorescent bulbs, there is a need for additional research to quantify emissions from various types of packaging. The results indicate that emissions from packages not designed to contain mercury vapor represent a real health and safety concern to those involved in its storage, transport and disposal, as well as a legal hazard for any businesses that do not adhere to these stipulations.

Brad Buscher
Chairman and CEO
VaporLok Products LLC

Layers of Packaging: How Many Are Really Needed?

2011-08-31T07:56:00.000-07:00

A study conducted at the University of Minnesota by a team of researchers found that common cardboard packages for fluorescent lamps do not contain mercury vapor below permissible workplace exposure levels, as defined by state and federal authorities.

The study tested packaging configurations that enhance this single cardboard layer with a plastic bag, as well as packages that add a second layer of cardboard to the design—with the bags positioned between the two cardboard layers. The latter group contained two package varieties: a double-box with a thicker, tape-sealed plastic bag, and a double box with a foil-plastic laminate bag containing a zip closure. Both of these packages performed better than the other configurations. Yet, only the double box with the foil-plastic laminate bag delivered the necessary levels of protection.

This study indicates that all three layers of the last packaging configuration are critical in the effective containment of mercury vapor. The first cardboard layer provides structure to the configuration and protects contents from outside elements. The bag—which should feature a suitable material and tight seal—contains the mercury vapor, and the inner layer of cardboard prevents broken glass from puncturing the bag and rendering it ineffective.

Brad Buscher
Chairman and CEO
VaporLok Products LLC

Incandescent Lamps Vs. Fluorescent Lamps

2011-08-24T07:17:00.000-07:00

We’ve all heard by now that fluorescent lamps are considered to be the better option when it comes to lighting choices, but why? Well for starters, fluorescent lamps are four to six times more efficient than incandescent lamps, which in turn reduces the power demand from local utilities. Since most power stations use coal as a source for electrical generation, they are large emitters of both greenhouse gas and mercury, which is naturally occurring in most coal that is used today. The reduced demand for electricity in turn reduces both greenhouse gas and mercury emissions.

Although incandescent light bulbs may seem like the cheaper option at the counter, consumers will actually save money on CFLs in the long run. While a CFL may cost about $2.00 per bulb, compared to about $0.50 cents for an incandescent bulb, a CFL is four to six times more efficient than an incandescent and lasts an estimated 8 to 15 times as long as an incandescent.

Brad Buscher
Chairman and CEO
VaporLok Products LLC

Banning Elemental Mercury

2011-08-17T07:11:00.000-07:00

A new government regulation that goes into effect in 2013 effectively bans the exportation of elemental mercury—unless it has a legitimate use. The Mercury Export Ban Act of 2008, introduced by Barack Obama when he was an Illinois senator, was signed on October 14, 2008. The act will prohibit the transfer of elemental mercury by federal agencies, ban U.S. export of elemental mercury by 2013, and requires the Department of Energy to designate and manage an elemental mercury long-term disposal facility.

The United States is currently one of the world’s leading exporters of elemental mercury, and large amounts of mercury-containing waste have been shipped over the border to Canada and other countries. The Mercury Export Ban Act of 2008 will help prevent other industries and countries that do not have the same protections as we do from receiving the mercury and letting it proliferate right back into the system and the environment.

Brad Buscher
Chairman and CEO
VaporLok Products LLC

Packaging Used or Broken Fluorescent Bulbs

2011-08-10T07:13:00.000-07:00

How do you effectively package used or broken fluorescent bulbs to prevent hazardous mercury vapor from emitting into your home or office? Is there a right or wrong way? Before you think about simply throwing that old bulb in the trash, read this post!

According to research studies, three layers of packaging are needed to sufficiently contain mercury vapor found in fluorescent lamps. The first is a cardboard layer, which provides structure to the configuration and protects contents from outside elements. The second layer consists of a bag—which should feature a suitable material and tight seal—which is used to contain the mercury vapor. The last, inner layer is also cardboard, which prevents broken glass from puncturing the bag and rendering it ineffective.

Next time you have a broken or burned out fluorescent bulb, use the above method to ensure you aren’t harming yourself or others with mercury vapor.

Brad Buscher
Chairman and CEO
VaporLok Products LLC

Fluorescent Lamp Recycling – Not a Common Act for Consumers

2011-08-03T07:09:00.000-07:00

With incandescent lamps out and energy-efficient fluorescent lamps and CFLs in, it is important for consumers to understand all factors of using them; from the initial purchase to proper disposal procedures. Fluorescent lamps and CFLs are a more sustainable lighting option, providing four to six times more efficiency than their incandescent counterparts and emitting about the same amount of visible light, all while offering longer working life and saving significant energy costs. Although incandescent light bulbs may seem like the cheaper option at the counter, consumers will actually save money on CFLs in the long run since they last an estimated 8 to 15 times as long as an incandescent.

When it comes to proper disposal, we are falling short. The EPA estimates recycling rates of fluorescent lamps at only 20 to 25 percent, leaving the majority to be placed in dumpsters and eventually end up in landfills. The consumer recycling rate has been estimated to be even lower—possibly at less than 2 percent. Due to their mercury content, this is a serious concern for the health of not only our environment but also for ourselves.

To learn about recycling options, read our post: How Can You Easily Recycle Used Fluorescent Bulbs?

Brad Buscher
Chairman and CEO
VaporLok Products LLC

How Are You Being Exposed to Mercury Vapor?

2011-07-27T07:05:00.000-07:00

We have all heard about the potential health and safety risks of mercury vapor, but do we know exactly where this mercury vapor is coming from?

Today, mercury continues to be used in many products, primarily in fluorescent lamps and compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) in offices, stores and homes. Because of its high density, it is also used in barometers and manometers. Due to its high rate of thermal expansion—which remains fairly constant over a wide temperature range—mercury is also used extensively in thermometers and thermostats. Mercury-vapor lamps, which emit light rich in ultraviolet radiation, are used for street lighting, in water treatment plants as a disinfectant, and in tanning beds. Mercury is used as an electrode in the production of chlorine and sodium hydroxide and in certain electric batteries. Mercury is important as an electrical contact for switches, and mercury conducts the charge in fluorescent lamps.

Exposure typically comes from inhaling mercury vapors. For most of us, fluorescent lamps present the single greatest risk of mercury exposure in the work place, as these lamps can easily break. Upon breaking, there is an even greater risk in transporting fluorescent lamps and CFLs, as there are no packaging standards and few regulations in place requiring proper packaging for storage and transportation. To protect against mercury vapor exposure from used fluorescent lamps and other mercury-containing devices, these products should be stored and transported in a packaging configuration proven to contain mercury vapor.

Brad Buscher
Chairman and CEO
VaporLok Products LLC

The Push for CFLs and Fluorescent Lamps

2011-07-20T07:15:00.000-07:00

With changing legislation and increased popularity for energy efficiency, the lighting industry has seen a significant push for fluorescent lamps and CFLs. Consumers and businesses alike are changing their lighting options to adopt these sustainable efforts. But, why?

Fluorescent lamps and CFLs are four to six times more efficient than their incandescent counterparts and emit about the same amount of visible light, all while offering longer working life and saving significant energy costs. Further, energy-efficient lighting is one of the lowest-cost ways for the nation to reduce electricity use and greenhouse gases. Although incandescent light bulbs may seem like the cheaper option at the counter, consumers will actually save money on CFLs in the long run. While a CFL may cost about $2.00 per bulb, compared to about $0.50 cents for an incandescent bulb, a CFL is four to six times more efficient than an incandescent and lasts an estimated 8 to 15 times as long as an incandescent.

However, CFLs and fluorescent lamps also contain hazardous mercury vapor, which is emitted when these fragile bulbs break. If not carefully handled and disposed of, mercury vapor can cause significant health and safety issues, as well as environmental concerns. Read more about how to avoid harmful mercury vapor if the bulb breaks or burns out.

Brad Buscher
Chairman and CEO
VaporLok Products LLC

Mercury Use in Fluorescent Lamps

2011-07-13T08:46:00.000-07:00

Why do fluorescent lamps and CFLs use mercury? We all know by now that the mercury content is dangerous to our own health and the environment; so why use it?

Mercury is an essential component of energy-efficient fluorescent lamps, allowing them to produce light and provide a longer life in comparison to incandescent bulbs. A typical fluorescent lamp is composed of a phosphor coated glass tube with electrodes located at either end. The tube contains mercury, of which only a very small amount is in vapor form. When a voltage is applied, the electrodes energize the mercury vapor, causing it to emit ultraviolet (UV) energy. The phosphor coating absorbs the UV energy, causing the phosphor to fluoresce and emit visible light.

The amount of mercury required is very small, typically measured in milligrams, and varies by lamp type, year of manufacture, manufacturing plant and manufacturer. Although it is a necessary component, mercury from fluorescent lamps still poses significant health and environmental issues, and lamps should be properly stored, transported and recycled in a packaging configuration proven to effectively contain mercury vapor.

Brad Buscher
Chairman and CEO
VaporLok Products LLC

Mercury Levels In CFLs: Not As Dangerous as They Used to Be?

2011-07-06T07:34:00.000-07:00

According to recent news, mercury levels in CFLs and fluorescent bulbs are decreasing compared to levels in the past. Does this mean that CFLs and fluorescent bulbs no longer present health and safety dangers associated with mercury content? One simple answer: No.

Regardless of the quantity of mercury present in CFLs and fluorescent bulbs, it is still important for consumers to handle, dispose, transport and recycle them properly. Mercury vapor can be detrimental to consumers’ health—from those involved with handling new bulbs to people involved with storing, packaging and shipping used lamps. Mercury vapor, which can be absorbed through the skin or inhaled, can cause neurological damage, and when it gets into water, it can enter the food chain through fish.

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.

Brad Buscher
Chairman and CEO
VaporLok Products LLC

How Can You Easily Recycle Used Fluorescent Bulbs?

2011-06-29T08:31:00.000-07:00

Products containing mercury, including fluorescent lamps, need to be handled and recycled properly to effectively contain and prevent mercury vapor from releasing into the environment. Mercury-containing waste that isn't properly recycled poses a serious environmental and health concern and can be regulated more stringently.

Fluorescent lamps can easily be recycled or disposed if burned out. Available recycling methods include:

Use Mercury VaporLok® Bags for safely accumulating spent fluorescent lamps for recycling.
Waste Management LampTracker®: The prepaid program includes recycling containers, shipping both ways via UPS or FedEx ground, recycling of the wastes and complete online documentation of every container ordered and recycled.
State Collection Sites: Check with you local and/or state regulators and use Earth911.com to find a drop-off near you. Also note that many National retailers accept spent lamps for recycling.

Brad Buscher
Chairman and CEO
VaporLok Products LLC

The Life of a Recycled Lamp

2011-06-22T07:13:00.000-07:00

Once a lamp has been recycled, it is usually sent to a recycling facility via truck, UPS or FedEx® in bulk or in pre-paid shipping recycling boxes. These boxes should be specifically designed to accommodate various sized lamps and effectively contain mercury vapor emitted from broken lamps.

Once received, the recycler crushes the lamps, along with other contaminated products, devices and debris, to safely exhaust the mercury vapor and extract and reuse the resultant mercury—ensuring mercury is not released into the environment. The remaining debris is then placed in 55-gallon drums and sent to a retort facility—where the drums are heated to high temperatures to eliminate any remaining mercury. Any remaining glass and aluminum is furthered recycled and reused.

This process reduces the potential dangers of mercury vapor emitted from used fluorescent lamps—effectively reducing environmental liability and protecting both handlers and consumers from potential safety hazards and health risks.

Brad Buscher
Chairman and CEO
VaporLok Products LLC

Mercury In the Food Chain

2011-06-15T07:10:00.000-07:00

Past studies and articles have shown that there is mercury present in the food chain, causing potential health and safety issues when consumed. How does this happen?

Large amounts of mercury become airborne when coal, oil, wood, or natural gas are burned as fuel or when mercury-containing garbage, including improperly discarded fluorescent lamps, is incinerated. This mercury can fall to the ground with rain and snow, landing on soil or in bodies of water, causing contamination. Lakes and rivers are also contaminated when there is a direct discharge of mercury-laden industrial and municipal waste into these waterbodies.

Elemental mercury and mercury salts, although fairly inert when deposited on the bottom of waterways, are converted into organic mercury, typically methylmercury, by microorganisms. Methylmercury then enters the food chain, where it is biomagnified up to 100,000 times in predacious fish. Eagles, turtles, mink, otters and other fish-eating creatures may have mercury introduced into their diets, which can cause early death, weight loss, and problems with their ability to reproduce.

Once mercury accumulates in the tissue of fish and other organisms, it may ultimately reach the dinner table, as most common human exposure to methylmercury is through consumption of contaminated fish or animals that eat fish. This mercury vapor, which can be introduced to human systems through consumption or absorbed through the skin or inhaled, can cause neurological damage to adults, children and fetuses.

Brad Buscher
Chairman and CEO
VaporLok Products LLC

Incandescent Light Bulbs Gone for Good?

2011-06-08T07:25:00.000-07:00

Store shelves containing primarily incandescent light bulbs are a rare sight these days, due to the 2007 energy conservation measure passed by Congress. This measure set standards to essentially ban incandescent lights by 2013, requiring households to make the switch to more energy efficient lights. With incandescents out, fluorescent lamps and CFLs continue to grow in popularity, providing energy and greenhouse gas emission savings.

However, even though fluorescent lamps and CFLs have proven their energy savings, many consumers are worried about their mercury levels and the potential health, safety and environmental issues caused by mercury vapor emitted from broken lamps. With proper storage, transportation and disposal, fluorescent lights can be a green and safe lighting solution. Learn more about safe packaging, and get ready to make the switch.

Brad Buscher
Chairman and CEO
VaporLok Products LLC

When is Mercury Vapor Considered Unsafe?

2011-06-02T07:12:00.000-07:00

We all know by now that mercury vapor can be a potential health and safety threat if it gets into our homes. But, at what point is mercury vapor considered unsafe?

The Federal Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) set a mercury permissible exposure limit (PEL) of 0.1 mg/m3 (8-hr time-weighted average [TWA]). (1) Some state OSHA programs regulate a stricter mercury vapor limit of 0.05 mg/m3 (8-hr TWA). Additionally, the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) recommends an a guideline of 0.025 mg/m3; this is the same value regulated by California OSHA. (2)

One broken 48-inch fluorescent lamp in a small room or vehicle can release enough mercury vapor to exceed the Federal OSHA PEL. Mercury vapor concentrations could exceed occupational exposure levels when working with or near broken bulbs, especially when multiple bulbs are stored or shipped in bulk to recycling facilities. Based on measurements of mercury vapor from single broken fluorescent bulbs, there is a need for additional research to quantify emissions from various types of packaging. The results indicate that emissions from packages not designed to contain mercury vapor represent a real health and safety concern to those involved in its storage, transport and disposal, as well as a legal hazard for any businesses that do not adhere to these stipulations. Recent research has shown that only one current package design which includes a vapor resistant and zip seal bag has proven effective in containing mercury vapor.

1. Occupational Health and Safety Standards: Air Contaminants. CFR, Part 1910.1000, Title 29, 2007.
2. Documentation of the Threshold Limit Values and Biological Exposure Indices, 7th ed.; National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health: Cincinnati, OH, 2001.

Brad Buscher
Chairman and CEO
VaporLok Products LLC

Which States Are Raising Awareness of the Dangers of Mercury Vapor?

2011-05-25T07:17:00.000-07:00

As fluorescent lamps and CFLs increasingly become businesses and consumers’ primary lighting choice, more states are taking action to address the health and safety issues associated with their use. While fluorescent lamps are considered as a more energy-efficient bulb than traditional incandescent bulbs, these lamps are fragile and, upon breaking, release mercury vapor that can be detrimental to handlers' health—from those involved with handling new bulbs to people involved with storing, packaging and shipping used lamps.

To address the potential dangers of unsafe packaging and transportation of used fluorescent lamps and mercury containing devices, many states are taking a stand to increase awareness by enforcing their own legislation. In March 2010, Washington took the first step in creating a law that requires lights and other mercury-containing devices to be packaged and shipped in material that will minimize the release of mercury into the environment. The law also states that packages should include mercury vapor barrier materials if lamps are transported by the United States postal service or a common carrier or collected via curbside programs and mail-back businesses.

Additional states have addressed this health issue with their own, more specific regulations regarding lamp disposal, including Wisconsin, Minnesota, Massachusetts, California, Vermont, New York, Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire, Florida and Rhode Island. To read about these laws and find out more information regarding state regulations, read our "Additional State Regulations" post.

Brad Buscher
Chairman and CEO
VaporLok Products LLC

Answering the Big Question: Are Fluorescent Bulbs Really Green?

2011-05-18T07:06:00.000-07:00

One simple answer: yes. Fluorescent lamps are four to six times more efficient than their incandescent counterparts and emit about the same amount of visible light, all while offering longer working life and saving significant energy costs.

Using more efficient lighting options, such as CFLs and other fluorescent lamps, is one of the lowest-cost ways for the nation to reduce electricity use and greenhouse gases. Although incandescent light bulbs may seem like the cheaper option at the counter, consumers will actually save money on CFLs in the long run. While a CFL may cost about $2.00 per bulb, compared to about $0.50 cents for an incandescent bulb, a CFL is four to six times more efficient than an incandescent and lasts an estimated 8 to 15 times as long as an incandescent.

Although CFLs contain small quantities of mercury—which can cause environmental, safety and health consequences—incandescent bulbs actually result in more mercury pollution. While incandescents do not contain mercury, they still contribute to its release into the environment. Because burning coal to generate electricity releases mercury into the air and incandescent bulbs use more electricity over their lifetimes, they are responsible for more energy consumption and ultimately more mercury emissions than CFLs.

The switch from an incandescent bulb to a more efficient CFL results not only in energy and cost savings, but also in less overall mercury pollution.

Brad Buscher
Chairman and CEO
VaporLok Products LLC

Mercury Exportation Ban

2011-05-11T07:50:00.000-07:00

As one of the world’s leading exporters of elemental mercury, the United States has shipped large amounts of mercury-containing waste over the border to Canada and other countries. Mercury can be a huge threat to our quality of life, especially with excessive exposure.

To prevent this, a new government regulation will go effect in 2013, effectively banning the exportation of elemental mercury—unless it has a legitimate use. The Mercury Export Ban Act of 2008, introduced by Barack Obama when he was an Illinois senator, was signed on October 14, 2008. The act will prohibit the transfer of elemental mercury by federal agencies, ban U.S. export of elemental mercury by 2013, and requires the Department of Energy to designate and manage an elemental mercury long-term disposal facility.

The Mercury Export Ban Act of 2008 will help prevent other industries and countries that do not have the same protections as we do from receiving the mercury and letting it proliferate right back into the system and the environment.

Brad Buscher
Chairman and CEO
VaporLok Products LLC

How to Avoid Harmful Mercury Vapor if the Bulb Breaks

2011-05-04T07:13:00.000-07:00

CFLs and fluorescent lamps are a sustainable lighting solution, as they give off the same amount of light as traditional incandescent lamps but are four to six times more efficient. However, CFLs and fluorescent lamps contain hazardous mercury vapor, which is emitted when these fragile bulbs break and causes significant health and safety issues, as well as environmental concerns.

If a CFL or fluorescent lamp breaks in your home, what should you do? Studies have found that mercury concentration in a room can exceed permissible exposure levels, even from the breakage of a single CFL. To prevent these potential health and safety threats from broken bulbs, the EPA offers a detailed clean-up guide: http://www.epa.gov/cfl/cflcleanup-detailed.html

Brad Buscher
Chairman and CEO
VaporLok Products LLC

Benefit From Energy-Efficient Fluorescent Lamps While Preventing Against Health & Safety Hazards

2011-04-27T07:42:00.000-07:00

Fluorescent lamps have increased in popularity, due to rising energy costs and environmental concerns. Fluorescent lamps are four to six times more efficient than incandescent lamps, which in turn reduces the power demand from local utilities. Since most power stations use coal as a source for electrical generation, they are large emitters of both greenhouse gas and mercury, which is naturally occurring in most coal that is used today. The reduced demand for electricity in turn reduces both greenhouse gas and mercury emissions.

However, fluorescent lamps are fragile and, upon breaking, these lamps release mercury vapor that can be detrimental to handlers' health—from those involved with handling new bulbs to people involved with storing, packaging and shipping used lamps.

While a variety of containers are marketed for transportation of fluorescent lamps, many don't provide sufficient protection against mercury vapor emitted from broken lamps. Using a proven packaging design is vital to ensuring the safety of people who handle these lamps, as well as maintaining their green benefits.

Brad Buscher
Chairman and CEO
VaporLok Products LLC

Fluorescent Lamp Transportation Regulation

2011-04-20T07:10:00.000-07:00

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) provides packaging standards for the transportation of fluorescent lamps (referred to in the regulations as “mercury vapor tubes”). Those regulations require that shipments of lamps be contained in packaging that prevents the escape of mercury.

However, those DOT packaging requirements will rarely, if ever, apply to packages of used mercury-containing lamps. Based on the rules and the mercury content of used lamps, the DOT standards only apply to packages containing more than 250 typical CFLs or low mercury fluorescent lamps or 100–200 other types of fluorescent lamps. Most used lamps are transported in far smaller containers. Yet even a single broken lamp can emit mercury vapor beyond permissible exposure levels.

One broken 48-inch fluorescent lamp in a small room or vehicle can release enough mercury vapor to exceed the Federal OSHA PEL. This indicate that emissions from packages not designed to contain mercury vapor represent a real health and safety concern to those involved in its storage, transport and disposal, as well as a legal hazard for any businesses that do not adhere to these stipulations.

Brad Buscher
Chairman and CEO
VaporLok Products LLC

Consequences of Mercury Vapor Pollution and Exposure

2011-04-13T07:00:00.000-07:00

Despite increasing awareness of the safety and environmental hazards of mercury vapor emitted from used fluorescent lamps, most are still not recycled. In fact, the EPA estimates the recycling rate of fluorescent lamps at only 20 to 25 percent, with the rest ending up in dumpsters and, eventually, in landfills—where they may continue to emit hazardous mercury vapor into the environment.

Mercury does not break down over time. It can get into drinking water, lakes, rivers and streams, posing a critical threat to human health, as well as the environment. Mercury is a known neurotoxin and it can bioaccumulate as it goes up the food chain. Recent studies have linked mercury exposure to increased risk of heart attack in men, mental retardation and neurological disorders in children, and to dangerous levels of mercury in the blood of women of childbearing age.

Though fluorescent lamps are a valuable resource for large facilities and homes, they must be disposed of properly to provide a truly environmentally conscious solution. Some states are taking steps to regulate mercury-containing wastes, but businesses and consumers alike can act now to protect the environment from these hazards. Taking the initiative to ensure that all used lamps are properly stored, transported and recycled can protect against potential hazards while taking advantage of the benefits fluorescent lamps provide.

Brad Buscher
Chairman and CEO
VaporLok Products LLC

New Hybrid Light Bulb Features Incandescent Bulb Shape but Still Requires Careful Handling and Proper Disposal

2011-04-06T07:11:00.000-07:00

General Electric's new hybrid halogen-compact fluorescent (CFL) light bulbs look like a spiral frosted CFL light bulb snugly fit inside a clear glass bulb shaped like a typical incandescent light bulb. Another feature that will appeal to consumers is the light bulb’s capability to light up quicker than many traditional CFLs. When switched on, the hybrid bulb's halogen portion lights up within a half-second. Then once the CFL portion has warmed and brightened to full luminescence, the halogen portion turns itself off.

GE has also claimed that each hybrid bulb only contains one milligram of mercury, which is a significant difference compared to the four milligrams of mercury in the average CFL light bulb. However, less mercury does not indicate that consumers should neglect to handle fluorescent and CFL light bulbs with care. Furthermore, these bulbs need to be properly packaged and recycled when broken or burned out. Mercury-containing waste that isn’t properly recycled poses a serious environmental and health concern. Safe packaging reduces the threat of mercury vapor emitted from broken lamps.

Brad Buscher
Chairman and CEO
VaporLok Products LLC

Cost-Saving Benefits of CFLs and Fluorescent Lamps

2011-03-30T07:26:00.000-07:00

CFLs and fluorescent lamps save significant costs in electricity expenses, right? According to recent articles, many people are in doubt about this claim, and refuse to believe these bulbs are actually saving them money by using less energy. Furthermore, the higher initial cost of the bulbs is preventing many consumers from making the switch. However, tests have shown that CFLs can save households money even under the least ideal conditions.

CFLs and fluorescent lamps give off the same amount of light as their traditional incandescent counterparts, but they require considerably less electricity, which in turn reduces the damaging effects electric power generation causes to the environment. Incandescent light bulbs actually require four times the amount of energy to produce equivalent light in a fluorescent lamp. Fluorescent lamps are four to six times more efficient than incandescent lamps, reducing the power demand from local utilities. Because most power stations use coal as a source for electrical generation, they are large emitters of both greenhouse gas and mercury, which is naturally occurring in most coal that is used today.

Brad Buscher
Chairman and CEO
VaporLok Products LLC

Recycling Fluorescent Lamps

2011-03-23T07:13:00.000-07:00

The EPA estimates recycling rates of fluorescent lamps at only 20 to 25 percent, leaving the majority to be placed in dumpsters and eventually end up in landfills—where they may emit hazardous mercury vapor into the environment. The consumer recycling rate has been estimated to be even lower—possibly at less than 2 percent.

According to one study, mercury air emissions could be lowered by 30 percent if recycling rates are increased to 50 percent and improvements in handling are made to lower losses from breakage. (1) Consumers can choose to recycle used lamps in several different ways. Lamps can be sent to a recycling facility via truck, UPS or FedEx® in bulk or through pre-paid shipping recycling box programs—which provide simple online ordering, tracking and compliance documentation for the proper management of mercury-containing items and other types of Universal Waste.

Mercury-containing waste that isn’t properly recycled poses a serious environmental and health concern. Safe recycling facilities exist, but should be encouraged by new rules and regulations. New legislation should also ensure that used fluorescent lamps are packaged in configurations proven to effectively contain mercury vapor emitted from broken lamps.

Reference:
1. 3. Cain, A.; Disch, S.; Twaroski, C.; Reindl, J.; Case, C.R. Substance Flow Analysis of Mercury Intentionally Used in Products in the United States; J. Ind. Ecol. 2007, 11, 61-75.

Brad Buscher
Chairman and CEO
VaporLok Products LLC

Researchers Confirm Fluorescent Bulb Packaging Requires Three Layers

2011-03-16T07:30:00.000-07:00

A recent study conducted at the University of Minnesota suggests that most containers used for storage and transportation of used fluorescent lamps to recycling centers do not sufficiently prevent the release of mercury vapor from broken lamps.

This study measured the performance of five different packages in three categories of commercially available containers employed for storage and transport of used fluorescent lamps. The first configuration was a single cardboard box, much like the packages new fluorescent lamps are sold in that are often reused as disposal packages. The second category included single boxes paired with a plastic bag—with one box from this group featuring an unsealed, thin plastic liner and the other a tape-sealed plastic bag. The third group of boxes consisted of a double-box design with a bag positioned between the two cardboard layers. One of these double-box designs used a thicker, tape-sealed plastic bag, and the second featured a foil-plastic laminate bag with a zip closure.

Each test package was loaded with 40 used fluorescent lamps , which were then broken by dropping and shaking the package inside a test chamber. Researchers then measured the level of mercury vapor inside the chamber for a six-hour period. Researchers concluded that each of the three layers performs a specific function. The inner cardboard layer prevents the broken glass from puncturing the bag, which contains the vapor. The outer box serves as a protective layer for all contents and also provides structure to the configuration.

Brad Buscher
Chairman and CEO
VaporLok Products LLC

Banning Mercury Products

2011-03-09T08:59:00.000-08:00

Recently, Canada’s federal government announced it will pass a law to ban many products that contain mercury, including thermometers. However, Canada’s federal government already banned the incandescent light bulb in favor of CFLs, which contain mercury. One of the few products to escape the new mercury ban is CFL light bulbs. To ban mercury in most products while legislating every home in Canada must use mercury-laden CFL’s might make some consumers question their lighting choice.

Although CFLs contain small quantities of mercury—which can cause environmental, safety and health consequences—incandescent bulbs actually result in more mercury pollution. While incandescents do not contain mercury, they still contribute to its release into the environment. Because burning coal to generate electricity releases mercury into the air and incandescent bulbs use more electricity over their lifetimes, they are responsible for more energy consumption and ultimately more mercury emissions than CFLs.

The switch from an incandescent bulb to a more efficient CFL results not only in energy and cost savings, but also in less overall mercury pollution. However, CFLs and other mercury-containing lamps emit mercury vapor when broken, and most shipping packages currently in use do not contain this vapor. They need to be properly stored and transported to recycling facilities in packaging proven to contain mercury vapor emissions. Only then do CFLs result in a truly green lighting solution. 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

The Mercury Debate: Is the CFL Bulb the Right Choice?

2011-03-02T09:05:00.000-08:00

The 2007 energy conservation measure passed by Congress set standards to essentially ban incandescent lights by 2013, requiring households to make the switch to more energy efficient lights. However, many consumers are raising the question, whether or not CFLs and fluorescent bulbs are really the more efficient lighting choice. Due to their mercury content, many consumers are wary about placing them in their homes.

However, incandescent bulbs actually result in more mercury pollution than fluorescents. Because mercury is a byproduct of burning coal, coal-fired power plants are one of the largest sources of mercury pollution. Because incandescent bulbs use several times more electricity over their lifetimes, they require far more power generation and, ultimately, result in more mercury emission than fluorescents. With the coming “maximal achievable technology” clean air standards, it is fully expected that mercury emissions will have to be severely reduced in order to stop this proliferation. Fluorescent lights are four to six times more efficient than incandescent lamps, significantly reducing the power demand from local utilities. The reduced demand for electricity in turn reduces both greenhouse gas and mercury emissions.

Furthermore, consumers can safely use energy efficient bulbs if they are properly handled and disposed of when broken or burned out. Learn how to safely clean up a broken bulb or safely package a used bulb to send to a recycling facility.

Brad Buscher
Chairman and CEO
VaporLok Products LLC

EPA Packaging Regulations

2011-02-23T12:56:00.000-08:00

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

2011-02-16T07:03:00.000-08:00

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

2011-02-09T06:54:00.000-08:00

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

2011-02-02T07:00:00.000-08:00

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

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

2011-01-26T06:47:00.000-08:00

Despite the safety, health and environmental hazards of used fluorescent lamps, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates recycling rates at only 20 to 25 percent. According to one study, mercury air emissions could be lowered by 30 percent if recycling rates are increased to 50 percent and improvements in handling are made to lower losses from breakage. (1) Consumers can choose to recycle used lamps in several different ways. Lamps can be sent to a recycling facility via truck, UPS or FedEx® in bulk or through pre-paid shipping recycling box programs—which provide simple online ordering, tracking and compliance documentation for the proper management of mercury-containing items and other types of Universal Waste.

Once received, the recycler may crush the lamps, along with other contaminated products, devices and debris, to safely exhaust the mercury vapor and extract and reuse the resultant mercury—ensuring mercury is not released into the environment. This process minimizes the potential dangers of mercury vapor emitted from used fluorescent lamps—effectively reducing environmental liability and protecting both handlers and consumers from potential safety hazards and health risks.

Read our previous posts in this series on how to handle, store and transport used fluorescent lamps, and find out next week what do if the bulb breaks.

Reference:
1. 3. Cain, A.; Disch, S.; Twaroski, C.; Reindl, J.; Case, C.R. Substance Flow
Analysis of Mercury Intentionally Used in Products in the United States; J. Ind. Ecol. 2007, 11, 61-75.

Brad Buscher
Chairman and CEO
VaporLok Products LLC

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

2011-01-19T06:53:00.000-08:00

Fluorescent lamps release an estimated one ton of mercury into the air each year in the US alone, and transportation of used lamps may be a significant source of emissions. According to estimates derived from modeling, four percent of mercury air emissions from all products were from fluorescent lamps in 2005—with higher mercury emissions taking place during waste lamp transport than during disposal processes. (1) Measurements of mercury emissions from dumpsters and from transfer station activities support the evidence that transportation of used lamps results in significant mercury vapor emissions. (2)

According to these findings, many used lamps are broken en route to recycling facilities, negating environmental efforts before the lamps even arrive at their final destination. To prevent the release of mercury vapor during the often-rough treks to recycling facilities, lamps should also be transported in packages proven to contain mercury vapor.

Read our previous posts in this series on how to handle and store used fluorescent lamps, and find out next week how to recycle them.

References
1. Cain, A.; Disch, S.; Twaroski, C.; Reindl, J.; Case, C.R. Substance Flow
Analysis of Mercury Intentionally Used in Products in the United States; J. Ind. Ecol. 2007, 11, 61-75.
2. Price, J.; Reinhart, D.; Sfeir, H. Airborne Emissions of Mercury from Municipal Solid Waste. II: Potential Losses of Airborne Mercury before Landfill; J. Air & Waste Manage. Assoc. 2005, 55, 870-877.

Brad Buscher
Chairman and CEO
VaporLok Products LLC

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

2011-01-12T06:41:00.000-08:00

One broken 48-inch fluorescent lamp in a small room or vehicle can release enough mercury vapor to exceed the Federal Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) permissible exposure limit (PEL). This means that mercury vapor concentrations could exceed occupational exposure levels when working with or near broken bulbs, especially when multiple bulbs are stored or shipped in bulk to recycling facilities.

Often, maintenance workers at small to large facilities store used lamps for a period of time until numerous lamps are collected for transportation to recycling facilities. Stored lamps may be bumped around and broken, so maintenance workers should package used lamps in a configuration proven to contain mercury vapor emissions. A recent study from the University of Minnesota indicates that three layers of packaging are necessary to provide sufficient containment of mercury vapor. An outer cardboard layer provides structure to the configuration and protects contents from outside elements. A bag positioned between two cardboard layers should feature a suitable material and tight seal—such as a unique zip closure foil-plastic laminate bag—to contain the mercury vapor. Finally, an inner layer of cardboard prevents broken glass from piercing the bag.

Read our previous post on how to handle used fluorescent lamps, and find out next week how to safely transport them.

Brad Buscher
Chairman and CEO
VaporLok Products LLC

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

2011-01-05T07:05:00.000-08:00

Following the proper clean-up and disposal policies is necessary in ensuring the safety of people who handle fluorescent lamps, as well as those in close proximity to them. However, proper disposal of used lamps is not as simple as dropping them in a recycling bin. Lamps must be carefully removed and handled, as well as stored and transported in a package proven to contain mercury vapor. Specific precautions should be taken during each of the following steps: Handling, Storage, Transport, Recycling and Breakage.

Handling:
Mercury vapor—which can get into water, contaminating fish and entering the human food chain—can cause neurological damage to adults, children and fetuses. To avoid these issues, lamps should be carefully installed and uninstalled by maintenance professionals. Anyone handling a fluorescent bulb should take caution, as these lamps are fragile and can shatter easily.

Find out next week how to carefully store fluorescent lamps.

Brad Buscher
Chairman and CEO
VaporLok Products LLC

Mercury: Exposure Through the Food Chain

2010-12-29T06:38:00.000-08:00

Large amounts of mercury become airborne when coal, oil, wood, or natural gas are burned as fuel or when mercury-containing garbage, including improperly discarded fluorescent lamps, is incinerated. This mercury can fall to the ground with rain and snow, landing on soil or in bodies of water, causing contamination. Lakes and rivers are also contaminated when there is a direct discharge of mercury-laden industrial and municipal waste into these waterbodies.

Elemental mercury and mercury salts, although fairly inert when deposited on the bottom of waterways, are converted into organic mercury, typically methylmercury, by microorganisms. Methylmercury then enters the food chain, where it is biomagnified up to 100,000 times in predacious fish. Eagles, turtles, mink, otters and other fish-eating creatures may have mercury introduced into their diets, which can cause early death, weight loss, and problems with their ability to reproduce.

Once mercury accumulates in the tissue of fish and other organisms, it may ultimately reach the dinner table, as most common human exposure to methylmercury is through consumption of contaminated fish or animals that eat fish. This mercury vapor, which can be introduced to human systems through consumption or absorbed through the skin or inhaled, can cause neurological damage to adults, children and fetuses. Read more about potential mercury risks.

Brad Buscher
Chairman and CEO
VaporLok Products LLC

Lighting the Workplace with Fluorescent Bulbs

2010-12-22T07:01:00.000-08:00

Three Layers For a Safe Package

2010-12-15T07:18:00.000-08:00

According to a recent study conducted at the University of Minnesota's School of Public Health, most containers used for storage and transportation of used fluorescent lamps to recycling centers do not sufficiently prevent the release of mercury vapor from broken lamps.(1) The results show that a double-box design with a foil-plastic laminate bag with a zip closure bag positioned between the two cardboard layers minimized airborne mercury vapor levels below all current federal and state workplace exposure regulations and guidelines.

Researchers concluded that each of the three layers performs a specific function. The inner cardboard layer prevents the broken glass from puncturing the bag, which contains the vapor. The outer box serves as a protective layer for all contents and also provides structure to the configuration. Packages must contain all three of the layers described above to effectively contain harmful mercury vapor emissions.

REFERENCE
1. Glenz, Tracy T., Lisa M. Brosseau and Richard W. Hoffbeck. “Preventing Mercury Vapor Release from Broken Fluorescent Lamps during Shipping.” Journal of the Air & Waste Management Association, 59 (2009), 266-72.

Brad Buscher
Chairman and CEO
VaporLok Products LLC

Why is it Important to Recycle Used Fluorescent Lamps?

2010-12-08T07:01:00.000-08:00

According to EPA estimates, only 20% to 25% of used fluorescent lamps are recycled, These lamps are commonly sent to a recycler in bulk or in pre-paid shipping recycling boxes. The 75% to 80% of fluorescent lamps that are not recycled usually end up in dumpsters or trash containers and, ultimately, in landfills. One study indicates dumpsters that contain broken fluorescent lamps “strongly and persistently” emit mercury.(1) Another study on mercury release from broken fluorescent lamps found that between 17% to 40% of the mercury in broken low-mercury fluorescent lamps is released to the air during the two-week period after breakage.(2) Of this mercury, one-third of the release takes place during the first eight hours following breakage, potentially exposing personnel in the vicinity to unsafe levels of mercury vapor. Using this estimated release rate and an estimated 620 million lamps discarded annually in the United States, broken used fluorescent lamps release approximately two to four tons of mercury each year into the environment.

Used fluorescent lamps need to be properly handled during shipping and recycling. Safe packaging reduces the threat of mercury vapor emitted from broken lamps.

REFERENCES
1. Lindberg, S.E.; Owens, J. PaMSWaD (Pathways of Mercury in Solid Waste Disposal); Lockheed Martin Energy Research Corporation (LMER). 1999, 6.
2. Aucott, Michael, Michael McLinden and Michael Winka. “Release of Mercury from Broken Fluorescent Bulbs.” Journal of the Air & Waste Management Association, 53 (2003), 143-51.

Brad Buscher
Chairman and CEO
VaporLok Products LLC

Future Mercury Waste Regulations: The First Step to a Brighter Future

2010-12-01T06:48:00.000-08:00

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) promotes recycling of fluorescent lamps by allowing common carrier shipment to recycling facilities. The federal Universal Waste Rule requires packaging to be compatible with the contents of lamps, structurally sound and adequate to prevent breakage—but this rule does not specifically address mercury vapor release. In 2005, a provision was added that requires packaging for mercury-containing products to be "reasonably designed to prevent the escape of mercury into the environment by volatilization or any other means." However, fluorescent lamps were excluded from this rule.(1)

However, some states are beginning to address the dangers of unsafe packaging and transportation of used fluorescent lamps and mercury containing devices. On March 19, 2010, Washington signed Senate Bill 5543, requiring that lights and other mercury-containing devices are packaged and shipped in material that will minimize the release of mercury into the environment. The law also states that they should include mercury vapor barrier packaging if transported by the United States postal service or a common carrie. This new legislation is set to be the precursor of future state and federal legislation as awareness of mercury vapor dangers increases. Find out more about these types of waste regulations and programs at these United States Environmental Protection Agency Sites.

REFERENCE
1. Standards for Universal Waste Management: Applicability—Lamps. CFR, Part 273.5, Title 40, 2007.

Brad Buscher
Chairman and CEO
VaporLok Products LLC

Switching To a More Efficient Bulb

2010-11-24T06:35:00.000-08:00

Fluorescent lamps give off the same amount of light as their traditional incandescent counterparts, but they require considerably less electricity, which in turn reduces the damaging effects electric power generation causes to the environment. Incandescent light bulbs actually require four times the amount of energy to produce equivalent light in a fluorescent lamp. Fluorescent lamps are four to six times more efficient than incandescent lamps, reducing the power demand from local utilities. Because most power stations use coal as a source for electrical generation, they are large emitters of both greenhouse gas and mercury, which is naturally occurring in most coal that is used today.

Mercury does present significant health and safety risks to consumers and handlers. However, proper packaging does exist that has been proven to protect people from mercury vapor exposure when handling fragile fluorescent lamps. To ensure sufficient packaging methods are used, packaging regulations should be defined and enforced.

Brad Buscher
Chairman and CEO
VaporLok Products LLC

One Broken Bulb: The Health and Safety Risks

2010-11-18T07:07:00.000-08:00

One broken four-foot fluorescent lamp in a small room or vehicle can release enough mercury vapor to exceed the OSHA mercury exposure eight-hour limit—posing significant health and safety risks to handlers and consumers. Plus, mercury vapor can be emitted for weeks after a single bulb is broken, continually polluting the air in consumers’ homes. When carelessly handled or improperly disposed of, mercury can get into drinking water, lakes, rivers and streams, posing a critical threat to human health, as well as the environment. Recent studies have linked mercury exposure to increased risk of heart attack in men, to mental retardation and neurological disorders in children, and dangerous levels of mercury in the blood of women of childbearing age.

Despite these health concerns, the EPA estimates that approximately 75 to 80 percent of fluorescent lamps are not recycled and are usually placed in dumpsters or trash containers, presenting a considerable risk. One study found that mercury is "strongly and persistently" emitted from dumpsters that contain broken fluorescent lamps.(1) Broken fluorescent lamps need to be properly recycled to prevent the release of mercury vapor. Learn how to clean up a broken bulb or how to safely package and recycle fluorescent lamps by reading our Layers of protection: Packaging used fluorescent lamps post.

1. Lindberg, S.E.; Owens, J. PaMSWaD (Pathways of Mercury in Solid Waste Disposal); Lockheed Martin Energy Research Corporation (LMER). 1999. 6.

Brad Buscher
Chairman and CEO
VaporLok Products LLC

Which Packaging Configuration Effectively Contains Mercury Vapor?

2010-11-11T07:16:00.000-08:00

To avoid both health and environmental risks associated with mercury vapor emissions from broken fluorescent lamps, they should be packaged, stored and transported to recycling facilities in a configuration that is specifically designed to contain mercury vapor—and proven to be effective.

The University of Minnesota study measured the performance of three different categories of packaging configurations that are used to store and transport used fluorescent lamps: single layer cardboard boxes, single layer cardboard boxes with a plastic bag, and double-layer cardboard boxes with a bag between the two layers. In ten replicate experiments, each box was filled with 40 used low-mercury T4 fluorescent lamps, dropped and shaken in a test chamber until the lamps were broken. During the next six hours, the level of mercury vapor inside the test chamber was measured and recorded. (1)

1. Single Layer Cardboard Box: Similar to the package in which fluorescent lamps are usually sold in, this packaging configuration was the least effective. It resulted in airborne mercury vapor levels in the test chamber exceeding all workplace exposure levels, as defined by state and federal authorities.
2. Single Layer Cardboard Box with a Plastic Bag: This contained the mercury better than the first box, but still emitted some mercury vapor.
3. Double-Layer Cardboard Boxes with a Bag Between the Two Layers: Out of all of the configurations, only this package design kept mercury vapor levels in the test chamber below all workplace exposure regulations and guidelines.

REFERENCES
1. Glenz, Tracy T., Lisa M. Brosseau, and Richard W. Hoffbeck. "Preventing Mercury Vapor Release from Broken Fluorescent Lamps during Shipping." Journal of the Air & Waste Management Association 59 (2009): 266-72. Print.

Brad Buscher
Chairman and CEO
VaporLok Products LLC

What Happens When the Bulb Breaks?

2010-11-04T07:06:00.000-07:00

When a fluorescent lamp breaks, it emits mercury vapor, which can cause severe health and safety risks. Mercury vapor, which can be absorbed through the skin or inhaled, can cause neurological damage to adults, children and fetuses. (1) It is considered a persistent bioaccumulative toxic chemical, since it doesn't degrade in the environment. (2) When mercury vapor gets into water, it is converted to methyl mercury and can enter the food chain through fish. Methyl mercury causes damage to the central nervous system and it is also thought to be a possible human carcinogen. (3)

To avoid both health and environmental risks associated with mercury vapor emissions from broken fluorescent lamps, they should be packaged, stored and transported to recycling facilities in a configuration that is specifically designed to contain mercury vapor—and proven to be effective.

1. Mercury Fact Sheet; Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, 1999; available at http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/tfacts46.pdf (accessed October 1, 2007).
2. Persistent Bioaccumulative Toxic (PBT) Chemicals; Final Rule. Fed Regist. 1999, 64, 58666-58753.
3. Mercury Compounds Hazard Summary, 2000. Technology Transfer Network Air Toxics web site; U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; available at http://www.epa.gov/ttn/atw/hlthef/mercury.html (accessed November 20, 2007).

Brad Buscher
Chairman and CEO
VaporLok Products LLC

Safe Fluorescent Lamp Packaging: Protecting Against Harmful Mercury Vapor

2010-10-28T07:15:00.000-07:00

On average, CFLs and fluorescent lamps contain about 4 milligrams of mercury. Mercury is dangerous and can be a threat to our safety and health when exposed to it. It is important for consumers to take the necessary precautions when handling, storing or transporting used or broken lamps to protect themselves against any potential harm from released mercury vapor.

According to a study conducted by the University of Minnesota, there is only one proven packaging configuration that effectively contains mercury vapor from broken fluorescent lamps below permissible workplace exposure levels, as defined by state and federal authorities. This configuration consists of an outer cardboard layer, a bag to contain the mercury vapor and an inner layer of cardboard to prevent broken glass from puncturing the bag.

Brad Buscher
Chairman and CEO
VaporLok Products LLC

Earthmate Compact Fluorescent Lights

2010-10-20T07:03:00.000-07:00

Waste Management now offers Earthmate compact fluorescent lightbulbs (CFLs) in recyclable packaging that also doubles as a CFL recycling kit. This new product includes Earthmate CFLs packaged in a resealable box lined with the VaporLok™ Products, LLC technology , which is designed to reduce the risk of airborne mercury exposure and environmental contamination from lamps broken during storage and shipping. The box is suitable for storing used CFLs and is approved for shipping by the United States Postal Service. Consumers return their used CFLs in the included postage paid shipping container to the Waste Management lamp recycling center simply by mailing them from home or any of over 34,000 US Post Offices. Learn more here.

Brad Buscher
Chairman and CEO
VaporLok Products LLC

U.S. DOT Regulation of Fluorescent Lamp Transportation (Part 3 of 3)

2010-10-14T08:14:00.000-07:00

In addition to the exceptions listed in the previous two posts, DOT regulations are, in general, relatively lax. They allow transport of used lamps in the original manufacturer’s packaging for a lamp, even though that packaging is almost certainly not designed to prevent the loss of mercury vapors. The DOT standard allows lamps (as long as each lamp contains less than five grams of mercury) to be transported in the “manufacturer’s original packaging” as long as the package contains less than 30 grams of total mercury.

Based on the mercury content assumptions described above, the DOT standard allows a lamp generator to transport any reasonable quantity (up to 1000 typical CFLs or low-mercury lamps) in the manufacturer’s original packaging. Read more about the need for more stringent packaging regulations in the blog post: Layers of Protection: Packaging Used Fluorescent Lamps.

Finally, most generators of used lamps are unlikely to comply with one specific requirement of DOT regulations. A shipper of used lamps must provide a “shipping paper” that indicates the quantity of mercury contained in the package. 49 C.F.R. § 173.164(c)((3)(iii). This requirement does not exist under federal and state universal waste rules that specifically exempt lamp generators and transporters from this type of record keeping in hopes of encouraging lamp recycling. While lamp recycling should be encouraged, it is only an effective method of preventing mercury vapor exposure and pollution when a proven package is utilized for storage and transportation of used lamps. For additional information on the U.S. DOT regulation of fluorescent lamp transportation, read Part 1 and Part 2 in this series.

Peder Larson
Attorney
Larkin Hoffman

U.S. DOT Regulation of Fluorescent Lamp Transportation (Part 2 of 3)

2010-10-05T07:04:00.000-07:00

Federal requirements for transporting “hazardous materials” are contained in Title 49 of the U.S. DOT Code of Federal Regulations. Specific packaging standards for shipment of articles containing mercury, including “mercury vapor tubes,” are contained in 49 C.F.R. § 173.164. According to 49 C.F.R. § 173.164(b), the regulations do not apply to packages containing less than 1 gram of mercury: “Manufactured articles or apparatuses, each containing not more than 100 mg (0.0035 ounce) of mercury and packaged so that the quantity of mercury per package does not exceed 1 g (0.035 ounce) are not subject to the requirements of this subchapter.”

According to the EPA, an average CFL contains 4 milligrams of mercury. (Source: USEPA Energy Star July 2008) The Northeast Waste Management Officials’ Organization states that about half of the fluorescent lamps manufactured by the major lighting manufacturers and sold in the United States contain 5 to 10 milligrams of mercury, while a quarter contain 10 to 50. Lamps referred to as “low-mercury” generally contain 3.5 to 4 milligrams of mercury.

Assuming the average CFL or low-mercury lamp contains 4 milligrams of mercury per lamp, packages containing less than 250 CFLs or low-mercury lamps are exempt because the package will contain less than 1 gram of mercury (250 lamps at 4 milligrams/lamp or .004 grams/lamp contain 1 gram of mercury). Similarly, packages containing less than about 100–200 other types of lamps will also be exempt. However, even small quantities of mercury vapor can cause health and safety issues in addition to attributing to environmental problems. Read more about the risks associated with mercury and Part 1 and Part 3 in this series for additional information on the U.S. DOT regulation of fluorescent lamp transportation.

Peder Larson
Attorney
Larkin Hoffman

U.S. DOT Regulation of Fluorescent Lamp Transportation (Part 1 of 3)

2010-09-29T08:42:00.000-07:00

Federal transportation requirements promulgated by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) provide packaging standards for fluorescent lamps (referred to in the regulations as “mercury vapor tubes”). Those regulations require that shipments of lamps be contained in packaging that prevents the escape of mercury.

In practice, however, those DOT packaging requirements will rarely, if ever, apply to packages of used mercury-containing lamps. Based on the rules and the mercury content of used lamps, the DOT standards only apply to packages containing more than 250 typical CFLs or low mercury fluorescent lamps or 100–200 other types of fluorescent lamps. Most used lamps are transported in far smaller containers. Yet even a single broken lamp can emit mercury vapor beyond permissible exposure levels. For more information, read the blog posts: Potential Exposure of Mercury Due to Broken Fluorescent Lamps in the Workplace, Permissible Exposure Limits—Are You Being Exposed to Unsafe Levels of Mercury Vapor, and Part 2 in this series on U.S. DOT Regulation.

Peder Larson
Attorney
Larkin Hoffman

CFL Recycling Information Supplied by Manufacturers: Philips, TESCO and GE

2010-09-22T06:55:00.000-07:00

Although consumer awareness of the health and safety risks associated with mercury vapor emitted from broken CFLs has increased, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates recycling rates of possibly less than two percent. If not properly recycled, the emitted mercury vapor poses a significant threat to not only the health of consumers, but also to the health of our environment. Mercury-containing products, such as CFLs, need to be properly recycled to truly be considered truly green products. Yet according to a study conducted by Toxic Waste Facts (1), only one of the three top light bulb manufacturers displays significant recycling information on their packaging:

Philips: The packaging of a CFL from Philips contains no specific information on disposal or risks associated with mercury contained in the bulbs. The information on the packaging details the life expectancy, wattage, a recycling symbol and an A rating.

TESCO: The packaging of a CFL from TESCO includes handling and fitting safety instructions, as well as a list of states that ban CFL household waste disposal, with more information available in store or via the website recycle-more.co.uk. Packages also contain the A rating and the crossed-out wheeled bin symbol. However, they do not offer any instructions regarding breakage clean-up or health risks.

General Electric: The packaging of a CFL from General Electric contains no information on disposal, recycling or any risks associated with the bulb. The information on the packaging details the life expectancy, wattage and an A rating.

It is important that consumers are made aware of the risks associated with broken CFLs and other mercury-containing products, and manufacturers should change packaging to better detail risks, usage and disposal methods.

1. An Assessment of Benefits and Potential Health and Environmental Hazards from Compact Fluorescent Lights. Toxic Waste Facts; available at http://toxicwastefacts.com/toxicwaste/an-assessment-of-benefits-and-potential-health-and-environmental-hazards-from-compact-fluorescent-lights

Brad Buscher
Chairman and CEO
VaporLok Products LLC

The End of an Era: Incandescent Light Bulb Factories Closing

2010-09-15T07:18:00.000-07:00

The 2007 energy conservation measure passed by Congress set standards to essentially ban incandescent lights by 2013, requiring households to make the switch to more energy efficient lights. According to recent news, the last major General Electric factory in the United States is closing this month, marking an end to a fixture that has been lighting homes since the 1870s. With incandescents out, fluorescent lamps and CFLs continue to grow in popularity, providing energy and greenhouse gas emission savings.

Many consumers are worried about the mercury levels contained in fluorescent lights and the potential health, safety and environmental issues caused by mercury vapor emitted from broken lamps. However, with proper storage, transportation and disposal, fluorescent lights can be a green and safe lighting solution. According to a recent study by the University of Minnesota, only one package design out of the five tested is effective in containing mercury vapor beyond permissible exposure levels. Find out more about this configuration, which includes a vapor resistant and zip seal bag.

Lisa Brosseau, ScD, CIH
Associate Professor
University of Minnesota School of Public Health, Division of Environmental Health Sciences

How Do Incandescent Lights Result in More Mercury Pollution Than Fluorescents?

2010-09-08T07:13:00.000-07:00

In addition to carefully recycling products that contain mercury, we can reduce mercury pollution by reducing our energy consumption. Because mercury is a byproduct of burning coal, coal-fired power plants are one of the largest sources of mercury pollution. Because incandescent bulbs use several times more electricity over their lifetimes, they require far more power generation and, ultimately, result in more mercury emission than fluorescents. With the coming “maximal achievable technology” clean air standards, it is fully expected that mercury emissions will have to be severely reduced in order to stop this proliferation. Fluorescent lights are four to six times more efficient than incandescent lamps, significantly reducing the power demand from local utilities. The reduced demand for electricity in turn reduces both greenhouse gas and mercury emissions.

Brad Buscher
Chairman and CEO
VaporLok Products LLC

Part II: Analyzing the Environmental Impact of Different Waste Management Methods: Incineration and Crushing

2010-09-02T07:32:00.000-07:00

Incineration is a waste treatment technology that involves the combustion of organic materials or substances.(1) Also known as "thermal treatment", incineration of waste materials converts the waste into incinerator bottom ash, flue gases, particulates and heat. In the past, many municipal waste combustors did not have special controls to reduce mercury emissions. The incineration of mercury-containing lamps, therefore, released up to 90% of the mercury to the air.(2) By the end of 2000, most incinerators were equipped with more stringent EPA-mandated mercury controls, dramatically reducing the amount of mercury that incinerators release from any mercury-containing product. According to the EPA, mercury emissions from municipal solid waste combustors declined from 42 tons of mercury in 1990 to 2 tons in 2001.(3) However, this amount of mercury release can be further reduced by recycling used fluorescent lamps.

Crushing lamps prior to transportation reduces the volume of waste, while utilizing mercury filters and other technology to limit mercury emissions. Crushing can significantly reduce transportation and storage costs for generators. However, the efficacy of lamp crushers is debated, and the practice has been banned by many state pollution control agencies.

Other recycling options, such as the services offered by Mercury Waste Solutions, should be applied to mercury-containing lamps to safely and effectively remove the mercury vapor. Their patented continuous flow retort oven has been designed to process up to 1,000 lbs per hour of flowable mercury-contaminated powders and other solids—effectively recovering mercury from contaminated products and reducing mercury pollution.

1. Knox, Andrew (February 2005). "An Overview of Incineration and EFW Technology as Applied to the Management of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW)" (PDF). University of Western Ontario.
2. “Lamp Industry Product Stewardship: A Record of Accomplishment,” NEMA Lamp Section, October 2004.
3. “Emissions from Large MWC Units at MACT Compliance,” Memorandum from Walt Stevenson, Combustion Group, UAQPS, EPA, June 20, 2002

Brad Buscher
Chairman and CEO
VaporLok Products LLC

Part I: Analyzing the Environmental Impact of Different Waste Management Methods: Recycling Vs. Landfills

2010-08-25T07:26:00.000-07:00

Recycling mercury-containing lights, such as fluorescent lamps and CFLs, provides many health, safety and environmental advantages. The main advantage of recycling used energy-efficient lights is in preventing mercury from entering the solid waste steam—where a portion of it is likely to be released into the environment. Another advantage is from the reuse of certain raw materials from mercury-containing lamps, including the mercury itself. Although the initial cost for recycling is higher than disposal to landfills, the cost is typically less than 1% of the electric savings allotted from the reduced energy use fluorescent lamps provide over traditional incandescent lights.(1)

Many consumers dispose of used fluorescent lamps in dumpsters, which eventually end up in landfills, where they may emit hazardous mercury vapor into the environment. A study of exposure to broken low-mercury lamps by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection entitled, "Release of Mercury from Broken Fluorescent Bulbs" demonstrated that "elevated airborne levels of mercury could exist in the vicinity of recently broken lamps, and "could exceed occupational exposure limits."(2) Collectively, the total amount of mercury released from lamp breakage adds to the overall mercury pollution in the United States, increasing health and safety hazards for consumers and waste handlers. Increased lamp recycling is recommended to further reduce mercury pollution.

1. “Fluorescent and other Mercury-Containing Lamps and the Environment,” NEMA, March 2005.
2. Aucott, Michael, Michael McLinden, and Michael Winka, 2003, Release of Mercury from Broken Fluorescent Bulbs, Journal of the Air & Waste Management Association 53:143-151.

Brad Buscher
Chairman and CEO
VaporLok Products LLC

What is the Lighting Industry Doing to Reduce Mercury Use?

2010-08-18T07:31:00.000-07:00

The lighting industry has slowly reduced the amount of mercury used in fluorescent lamps over the past 20 years and, according to NEMA surveys, mercury use has been reduced dramatically over the last 7 years.(1) Since 1990, NEMA has conducted a number of surveys, which indicate the total amount of mercury contained in all lamps in the U.S. declined to 17 tons in 1994, 13 tons in 1999, 9 tons in 2001 and 7 tons in 2003—nearly a 90% reduction from previous years.(2) According to this trend, researchers believe this number will continue to decline in future years.

The lighting industry accomplished these dramatic reductions by collectively investing millions of dollars in new lamp manufacturing equipment and processes. However, fluorescent lamps must still be handled, stored and transported to recycling facilities with care. To ensure the safety of people who handle these lamps and the environment, there is a need for better regulations for packaging that controls the release of mercury vapor emitted from broken lamps.

1.“Fluorescent and other Mercury-Containing Lamps and the Environment,” NEMA, March 2005.
2.“Lamp Industry Product Stewardship: A Record of Accomplishment,” NEMA Lamp Section, October 2004.

Lisa Brosseau, ScD, CIH
Associate Professor
University of Minnesota School of Public Health, Division of Environmental Health Sciences

Why Do Fluorescent Lamps Need Mercury?

2010-08-11T07:35:00.000-07:00

Mercury is an essential component of energy-efficient fluorescent lamps, allowing them to produce light and provide a longer life in comparison to incandescent bulbs. A typical fluorescent lamp is composed of a phosphor coated glass tube with electrodes located at either end. The tube contains mercury, of which only a very small amount is in vapor form. When a voltage is applied, the electrodes energize the mercury vapor, causing it to emit ultraviolet (UV) energy. The phosphor coating absorbs the UV energy, causing the phosphor to fluoresce and emit visible light.(1)

The amount of mercury required is very small, typically measured in milligrams, and varies by lamp type, year of manufacture, manufacturing plant and manufacturer. Although it is a necessary component, mercury from fluorescent lamps still poses significant health and environmental issues, and lamps should be properly stored, transported and recycled in a packaging configuration proven to effectively contain mercury vapor.

1. “Fluorescent and other Mercury-Containing Lamps and the Environment,” NEMA, March 2005.

Brad Buscher
Chairman and CEO
VaporLok Products LLC

History of Universal Waste Containers and the Development of Packages Designed to Contain Mercury Vapor

2010-08-04T06:48:00.000-07:00

Universal waste containers that could be transported by common carrier were first introduced in 1998. The first containers were primarily used to ship fluorescent lighting. Initially, these containers were simple corrugated boxes, with some including a plastic bag inside the box. Since the contents were made of glass, they were designed primarily to contain the contents within the shipping container. However, since mercury begins to vaporize at 70 degrees F, packaging improvements were needed to address the issue of potential mercury vapor release in the event of breakage during accumulation and transport. Read more about packaging designed to contain mercury vapor.

Brad Buscher
Chairman and CEO
VaporLok Products LLC

Potential Exposure of Mercury Due to Broken Fluorescent Lamps In the Workplace

2010-07-26T07:52:00.000-07:00

Like many products, fluorescent lamps—which are used in many workplaces due to their significant energy savings—contain hazardous mercury. Estimates of the amount of mercury released when the lamps are broken—which typically occurs when used lights are discarded—have varied widely.

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection published a study dealing with the potential exposure of mercury due to broken bulbs in the workplace in the "Journal of the Air & Waste Management Association." Based on a new method used to measure mercury released from broken lamps, it was found that 17% to 40% of the mercury in broken low-mercury fluorescent lamps is released to the air during the two-week period immediately following breakage, with higher temperatures contributing to higher release rates. One-third of the mercury release occurs during the first 8 hours after breakage.

These findings indicate that airborne levels of mercury in the vicinity of recently broken bulbs could exceed occupational exposure limits, as defined by state and federal authorities. A better method of containment is required to protect consumers and transporters against the release of mercury in case of breakage and to satisfy both OSHA and Universal Waste regulations.

A recently patented packaging system including a zip-closure plastic-foil laminate bag layered between two cardboard boxes has been proven to effectively contain mercury vapor.

Brad Buscher
Chairman and CEO
VaporLok Products LLC

CFL Usage and What You Should Do If a CFL Breaks in Your Home

2010-07-21T13:41:00.000-07:00

Additional State Regulations

2010-07-08T07:40:00.000-07:00

Permissible Exposure Limits—Are You Being Exposed to Unsafe Levels of Mercury Vapor?

2010-07-06T07:38:00.000-07:00

The Federal Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) set a mercury permissible exposure limit (PEL) of 0.1 mg/m3 (8-hr time-weighted average [TWA]).1 Some state OSHA programs regulate a stricter mercury vapor limit of 0.05 mg/m3 (8-hr TWA). Additionally, the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) recommends an a guideline of 0.025 mg/m3; this is the same value regulated by California OSHA.2

One broken 48-inch fluorescent lamp in a small room or vehicle can release enough mercury vapor to exceed the Federal OSHA PEL. Mercury vapor concentrations could exceed occupational exposure levels when working with or near broken bulbs, especially when multiple bulbs are stored or shipped in bulk to recycling facilities. Based on measurements of mercury vapor from single broken fluorescent bulbs, there is a need for additional research to quantify emissions from various types of packaging. The results indicate that emissions from packages not designed to contain mercury vapor represent a real health and safety concern to those involved in its storage, transport and disposal, as well as a legal hazard for any businesses that do not adhere to these stipulations. Recent research has shown that only one current package design which includes a vapor resistant and zip seal bag has proven effective in containing mercury vapor.

1. Occupational Health and Safety Standards: Air Contaminants. CFR, Part 1910.1000, Title 29, 2007.
2. Documentation of the Threshold Limit Values and Biological Exposure Indices, 7th ed.; National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health: Cincinnati, OH, 2001.

Lisa Brosseau, ScD, CIH
Associate Professor
University of Minnesota School of Public Health, Division of Environmental Health Sciences

Compounding Mercury Vapor Exposure

2010-07-02T07:16:00.000-07:00

Along with the common uses of mercury vapor in fluorescent lamps and compact fluorescent lamps, mercury compounds also have many uses. Calomel (mercurous chloride, Hg2Cl2) is a standard in electrochemical measurements and in medicine as a purgative. Mercuric chloride (corrosive sublimate, HgCl2) is an insecticide, a rat poison, and a disinfectant. Mercuric oxide is used in skin ointments. Mercuric sulfate is a catalyst in organic chemistry. Vermilion, a red pigment, is mercuric sulfide; another crystalline form of the sulfide (also used as a pigment) is black. Mercury fulminate, Hg(CNO)2, is a detonator. Mercury forms many organic compounds. Mercurochrome (in 2% aqueous solution) is used in medicine as a topical antiseptic. Whatever the usage, any products that can emit dangerous levels of mercury should be stored and transported in a packaging configuration proven to contain mercury vapor. 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

You May Be Exposed to More Mercury Than You Think

2010-07-01T07:47:00.000-07:00

Today, mercury continues to be used in many products, primarily in fluorescent lamps and compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) in offices, stores and homes. Because of its high density, it is also used in barometers and manometers. Due to its high rate of thermal expansion—which remains fairly constant over a wide temperature range—mercury is also used extensively in thermometers and thermostats. Mercury-vapor lamps, which emit light rich in ultraviolet radiation, are used for street lighting, in water treatment plants as a disinfectant, and in tanning beds. Mercury is used as an electrode in the production of chlorine and sodium hydroxide and in certain electric batteries. Mercury is important as an electrical contact for switches, and mercury conducts the charge in fluorescent lamps.

Exposure typically comes from inhaling mercury vapors. For most of us, fluorescent lamps present the single greatest risk of mercury exposure in the work place. A recent study of exposure to broken "low mercury" lamps by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection entitled "Release of Mercury from Broken Fluorescent Bulbs" demonstrated that "elevated airborne levels of mercury could exist in the vicinity of recently broken lamps, and "could exceed occupational exposure limits."

There is currently significant risk in transporting fluorescent lamps and CFLs, as there are no packaging standards and few regulations in place requiring proper packaging for storage and transportation. To protect against mercury vapor exposure from used fluorescent lamps and other mercury-containing devices, these products should be stored and transported in a packaging configuration proven to contain mercury vapor. One current design includes a vapor resistant and zip seal bag and is the only design that has proven effective in containing mercury vapor.

Brad Buscher
Chairman and CEO
VaporLok Products LLC

Origins of the Phrase “Mad As a Hatter”

2010-06-28T08:20:00.000-07:00

Mercury Waste Regulations: Protecting People, the Environment and Your Companies Best Interests

2010-06-24T08:47:00.000-07:00

Not only is mercury a threat to our quality of life when it is not properly recycled, it can also be a significant threat to the overall health of businesses. Local and state environmental regulations and EPA enforcement of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) and the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA), regulate the generation, treatment, storage, handling, clean-up, transportation and disposal of hazardous wastes, including products which contain mercury. Mercury-containing lamps, batteries, and medical and electrical equipment and devices are regulated as Universal Wastes.

If mercury-containing products are improperly recycled, companies may be at risk of severe financial penalties, criminal prosecution and long-term liability. Find out more at these United States Environmental Protection Agency Sites:

Federal Mercury Regulations

State Mercury Legislation and Regulations

State Universal Waste Regulations

Federal Universal Waste Regulations

State Mercury Medical & Dental Waste Programs

1997 Mercury Report to Congress

Peder Larson
Attorney
Larkin Hoffman

Does the Future Include On-site Treatment of Mercury Wastes?

2010-06-23T08:09:00.000-07:00

What is on the pollution control horizon in regards to mercury emissions? Possible changes in government regulations could allow on-site treatment methods, which could make it possible to clean-up areas that are otherwise considered too cost- and time-prohibitive to treat. For instance, a planned cleanup of a 40-mile section of the Hudson River in New York illustrates the need for on-site treatment. The area is heavily contaminated with PCBs, but the off-site method for the PCB disposal will lead to liberation of huge quantities of mercury.

It is an incongruent challenge because in trying to remove one form of pollution, they will generate another—which is thought to be the lesser of two evils. Theoretically, the 40-mile stretch would generate many billions of tons of waste. If sent to a typical plant, the quantity of waste would take the next 1,000 years to process. Not only would the time requirements be impractical, but the transportation costs would be huge—making it a cost-prohibitive and impractical solution.

Instead, the government may one day allow on-site treatment options, and companies will be gearing up in the coming years to provide services, technology and engineering to make it possible.

Brad Buscher
Chairman and CEO
VaporLok Products LLC

How Much Mercury Do Fluorescent Lamps Really Contain?

2010-06-21T07:58:00.000-07:00

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

The Benefits of Fluorescent Lamps

2010-06-17T08:26:00.000-07:00

Incandescent light bulbs emit light by using electricity to heat up a filament that is encased in a protective glass globe to a very high temperature, causing the filament to glow and produce light. The energy required to produce this light is four times the amount of energy required to produce equivalent light in fluorescent lamps. When the fixtures in an average household are counted and multiplied by the number of households in the country, a true sense of the energy needed to produce the light—that many people take for granted—can be realized.

Fluorescent lamps are made up of a sealed glass tube with a phosphor powder coating along the inside of the glass. Inside the tube is a small amount of mercury as well as an inert gas—such as argon—that is maintained under low pressure. Two electrodes on opposite sides of the tube energize the mercury to produce ultraviolet energy. The phosphor coating on the glass tube then absorbs this energy and releases a photon of visible light.

Like incandescent bulbs, fluorescent lamps don't convert 100 percent of the energy they consume into visible light. However, they are four to six times more efficient than incandescent lamps, which in turn reduces the power demand from local utilities. Since most power stations use coal as a source for electrical generation, they are large emitters of both greenhouse gas and mercury, which is naturally occurring in most coal that is used today. The reduced demand for electricity in turn reduces both greenhouse gas and mercury emissions.

Brad Buscher
Chairman and CEO
VaporLok Products LLC

Turning off the switch on incandescent lights

2010-06-16T08:35:00.000-07:00

Fluorescent lamps are four to six times more efficient than their incandescent counterparts and emit about the same amount of visible light, all while offering longer working life and saving significant energy costs. Their use will be significantly increased as well by 2013, when the manufacture of incandescent lamps is slated to cease by an Act of Congress and will therefore be replaced by compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) and other fluorescents.

Using more efficient lighting options, such as CFLs and other fluorescent lamps, is one of the lowest-cost ways for the nation to reduce electricity use and greenhouse gases. Although incandescent light bulbs may seem like the cheaper option at the counter, consumers will actually save money on CFLs in the long run. While a CFL may cost about $2.00 per bulb, compared to about $0.50 cents for an incandescent bulb, a CFL is four to six times more efficient than an incandescent and lasts an estimated 8 to 15 times as long as an incandescent.

Although CFLs contain small quantities of mercury—which can cause environmental, safety and health consequences—incandescent bulbs actually result in more mercury pollution. While incandescents do not contain mercury, they still contribute to its release into the environment. Because burning coal to generate electricity releases mercury into the air and incandescent bulbs use more electricity over their lifetimes, they are responsible for more energy consumption and ultimately more mercury emissions than CFLs.

The switch from an incandescent bulb to a more efficient CFL results not only in energy and cost savings, but also in less overall mercury pollution. However, CFLs and other mercury-containing lamps emit mercury vapor when broken, and most shipping packages currently in use do not contain this vapor. They need to be properly stored and transported to recycling facilities in packaging proven to contain mercury vapor emissions. Only then do CFLs result in a truly green lighting solution. 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

Ban on exportation of elemental mercury

2010-06-14T08:11:00.000-07:00

Shipping mercury wastes to Canada

2010-06-10T07:35:00.000-07:00

A significant volume of mercury-containing waste in the U.S. is finding its way into Canadian landfills because some treatment standards, recovery requirements and enforcement of those standards are less stringent than in the U.S. U.S. federal regulations require that hazardous wastes including mercury be treated using “Best Demonstrated Available Technology” which requires high temperature retorting. According to one report, if exports to Canada continue, U.S.-based mercury recycling facilities will be undermined. Likewise, investments in the best available technology will be punished instead of rewarded.1

Uniform national policies in both the U.S. and Canada that prohibits land disposal would help eliminate confusion from the disparate policies. Infrastructure and recycling capacity already exist, but as long as exemptions and low enforcement remain, and recycling remains optional, increasing the rate will continue to be a struggle. Suffice it to say, U.S. and Canadian mercury recycling laws are in need of a major overhaul to protect the environment in the years to come.

1. Fortuna, Richard C. Export of Recyclable Mercury Related Wastes to Canada for Landfilling and Barriers to Mercury Recycling in the U.S. Strategic Environmental Analysis, L.C. 2004. 3.

Peder Larson
Attorney
Larkin Hoffman

Journey of Recycled Lamps

2010-06-09T08:04:00.000-07:00

TCLP Tests

2010-06-07T13:03:00.000-07:00

According to EPA estimates, approximately 75 to 80 percent of fluorescent lamps are not recycled and are usually placed in dumpsters or trash containers. Fluorescent lamps in dumpsters present a considerable danger. One study found that mercury is "strongly and persistently" emitted from dumpsters that contain broken fluorescent lamps.1 The data indicates a preliminary loss rate of ~25µg/h from one bulb contained in a closed dumpster. The bulb continued to emit mercury at this rate for more than a week, and at ~50 µg/h on the 8th day following breakage.

Federal policies contain exemptions that help keep the recycling rate low. For instance, lamps that pass the Toxic Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP) mercury test are currently exempt from recycling requirements. However, some lamp manufacturers put extraneous additives in the lamps—such as ascorbic acid—that compromise the test and skew the results.

In 2000—following an extensive debate focused on whether or not a disposal ban should apply to lamps that pass the TCLP—the Maine Legislature decided to enact the ban on all mercury-added lamps. New and used lamps from ten popular lamp models were collected and tested for total mercury and TCLP mercury by dedicated testing procedures. Results indicate that lamps that pass the TCLP test contain comparable total mercury results as the corresponding lamps that fail TCLP, suggesting that the disposal ban on all mercury-added lamps is appropriate.2

1. Lindberg, S.E.; Owens, J. PaMSWaD (Pathways of Mercury in Solid Waste Disposal); Lockheed Martin Energy Research Corporation (LMER). 1999. 6.
2. Maine Fluorescent Lamp Study, DRAFT 1.0, November 15, 2001.

Brad Buscher
Chairman and CEO
VaporLok Products LLC

EPA estimates just 20 to 25 percent of fluorescent lamps are recycled

2010-06-03T09:12:00.000-07:00

While the new legislation in Washington—addressing the dangers of unsafe packaging and transportation of used fluorescent lamps and mercury-containing devices—shows growth in the right direction, there is still a long way to go in protecting people and the environment from mercury vapor emitted from broken lamps.

The EPA estimates recycling rates of fluorescent lamps at only 20 to 25 percent, leaving the majority to be placed in dumpsters and eventually end up in landfills—where they may emit hazardous mercury vapor into the environment. The consumer recycling rate has been estimated to be even lower—possibly at less than 2 percent.

Mercury-containing waste that isn’t properly recycled poses a serious environmental and health concern. Safe recycling facilities exist, but should be encouraged by new rules and regulations. New legislation should also ensure that used fluorescent lamps are packaged in configurations proven to effectively contain mercury vapor emitted from broken lamps.

Brad Buscher
Chairman and CEO
VaporLok Products LLC

New legislation protects workers and consumers from mercury vapor risks of unsafe fluorescent lamp packaging

2010-06-02T08:16:00.000-07:00

When Governor Chris Gregoire signed Senate Bill 5543 on March 19, Washington became the first state to address the dangers of unsafe packaging and transportation of used fluorescent lamps and mercury containing devices. This new legislation is set to be the precursor of future state and federal legislation as awareness of mercury vapor dangers increases.

Due to deficiencies of most current packaging configurations utilized for shipping used fluorescent lamps, the new law requires that lights and other mercury-containing devices are packaged and shipped in material that will minimize the release of mercury into the environment. The law also states that packages should include mercury vapor barrier materials if lamps are transported by the United States postal service or a common carrier or collected via curbside programs and mail-back businesses.

Additionally, the State of Wisconsin recently considered legislation that would apply newer mercury-containing equipment packaging standards to used lamps from households. If adopted, the law would require those lamps to be managed in containers “designed to prevent the escape of mercury into the environment by volatilization or other means.”

Environmental practitioners know that most federal environmental laws followed the lead of state laws and regulations. Mercury waste regulation is no exception. Today most mercury lamps are not recycled and states are increasingly indicating that they will take action to fix that problem. As those state laws evolve, states will also consider imposing more specific packaging requirements to supplement the minimal requirements imposed by federal regulations. USEPA’s container requirements for mercury containing equipment provide a simple and effective standard for states to extend to mercury containing lamps. Now that one state has taken that step and another is considering it, watch for similar activity in other states.

Peder Larson
Attorney
Larkin Hoffman

The need for more stringent packaging regulations

2010-05-27T05:47:00.000-07:00

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is one of the organizations challenged with the task of simultaneously encouraging the use of energy-efficient fluorescent lamps, while also protecting the environment and people from harmful mercury vapor. The EPA permits common carrier shipment to recycling facilities, and the federal Universal Waste Rule requires packaging to be compatible with the contents of lamps, structurally sound and adequate to prevent breakage—but this rule does not specifically address mercury vapor release.

In 2005, a provision was added that requires packaging for mercury-containing products to be "reasonably designed to prevent the escape of mercury into the environment by volatilization or any other means." However, fluorescent lamps were excluded from this rule.

This may change. More recent federal regulations applicable to other mercury wastes (like switches, thermostats and thermometers) require management in packaging designed to prevent the loss of mercury vapor. Plus, a new law in the State of Washington requires that many lamps be managed in containers that prevent the loss of mercury vapors, and the State of Wisconsin recently considered language that would require mercury vapor containment for household lamps. Read more about new state legislation in my next post.

Peder Larson
Attorney
Larkin Hoffman

Layers of protection: Packaging used fluorescent lamps

2010-05-24T05:55:00.000-07:00

Many customers repurpose the packages fluorescent lamps are sold in—to store used lamps and eventually transport these lamps for disposal or recycling. However, the recent University of Minnesota study I conducted with my team of researchers found that these packages do not contain mercury vapor below permissible workplace exposure levels, as defined by state and federal authorities.

We also tested packaging configurations that enhance this single cardboard layer with a plastic bag, as well as packages that add a second layer of cardboard to the design—with the bags positioned between the two cardboard layers. The latter group contained two package varieties: a double-box with a thicker, tape-sealed plastic bag, and a double box with a foil-plastic laminate bag containing a zip closure. Both of these packages performed better than the other configurations. Yet, only the double box with the foil-plastic laminate bag delivered the necessary levels of protection.

This study indicates that all three layers of the last packaging configuration are critical in the effective containment of mercury vapor. The first cardboard layer provides structure to the configuration and protects contents from outside elements. The bag—which should feature a suitable material and tight seal—contains the mercury vapor, and the inner layer of cardboard prevents broken glass from puncturing the bag and rendering it ineffective.

Lisa Brosseau, ScD, CIH
Associate Professor
University of Minnesota School of Public Health, Division of Environmental Health Sciences

Study documents mercury vapor emission levels and need for safer packaging, storage and transportation of used fluorescent lamps

2010-05-19T12:10:00.000-07:00

Results of a recent study conducted by my research team at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health, Division of Environmental Health Sciences suggest that most containers used for storage and transportation of used fluorescent lamps to recycling centers do not provide necessary levels of protection against mercury vapors emitted from broken lamps.

The study, published in the March 2009 issue of the Journal of the Air & Waste Management Association, found that of the five packages tested in the study, just one configuration—consisting of a zip-closure plastic-foil laminate bag layered between two cardboard boxes—minimized exposure levels below acceptable occupational limits, as defined by state and federal regulations and guidelines.

Based on our measurements of mercury vapor from single broken fluorescent bulbs, we determined the need for additional research to quantify emissions from various types of packaging. The results indicate that emissions from packages not designed to contain mercury vapor represent a real health and safety concern.

Lisa Brosseau, ScD, CIH
Associate Professor
University of Minnesota School of Public Health, Division of Environmental Health Sciences

Preventing health and safety hazards from fluorescent lamps

2010-05-17T12:11:00.000-07:00

As rising energy costs and environmental concerns become increasingly important factors in consumers’ and businesses’ purchasing selections, fluorescent lamps have increased in popularity. However, fluorescent lamps are fragile and, upon breaking, these lamps release mercury vapor that can be detrimental to handlers' health—from those involved with handling new bulbs to people involved with storing, packaging and shipping used lamps.

Mercury vapor, which can be absorbed through the skin or inhaled, can cause neurological damage to adults, children and fetuses. (1) It is considered a persistent bioaccumulative toxic chemical, since it doesn't degrade in the environment. (2) When mercury vapor gets into water, it is converted to methyl mercury and can enter the food chain through fish. Methyl mercury causes damage to the central nervous system and it is also thought to be a possible human carcinogen. (3)

While a variety of containers are marketed for transportation of fluorescent lamps, many don't provide sufficient protection against mercury vapor emitted from broken lamps. Using a proven packaging design is vital to ensuring the safety of people who handle these lamps, as well as maintaining their green benefits.

1. Mercury Fact Sheet; Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, 1999; available at http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/tfacts46.pdf (accessed October 1, 2007).
2. Persistent Bioaccumulative Toxic (PBT) Chemicals; Final Rule. Fed Regist. 1999, 64, 58666-58753.
3. Mercury Compounds Hazard Summary, 2000. Technology Transfer Network Air Toxics web site; U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; available at http://www.epa.gov/ttn/atw/hlthef/mercury.html (accessed November 20, 2007).

Brad Buscher
Chairman and CEO
VaporLok Products LLC