75 years of excellence

Shared Responsibility in the Electrical Sector

Ric ErdheimSenior Manager – NEMAExecutive Director – TRC

November, 2002

75 years of excellence

Outline

o Describe TRC Recycling Programo Discuss Factors Applicable to TRCo Compare Battery and Lamp Industry

Approacheso Recommend Criteria to Consider

75 years of excellence

TRC Program – Why?

Concern about spent product disposal 2.8 grams/switch, 1.4 switches/thermostat Cannot reduce mercury in mercury switch

thermostats Non mercury thermostats can have

disadvantages (energy efficiency, retrofitability, cost, durability, inappropriate for visually impaired and handicapped.)

75 years of excellence

TRC Program – How?

Established cost-efficient program utilizing universal waste rule.

Three major manufacturers; Honeywell, White-Rodgers, GE

Companies pay transportation and mercury recovery costs

TRC losses money – mercury has no value

75 years of excellence

TRC Program – How?

TRC signs up HVAC (not electrical) wholesalers

Most thermostats sold through HVAC wholesalers, not retailers

One-time $15 fee per containerReceive TRC container (1X1X2 feet)Brings in business.

75 years of excellence

TRC Program – How?

List at www.nema.org/trc TRC

Free to contractors who installWhen filled (50-100 stats) wholesaler

ships container at TRC expense to clipping facility

Clipped ampuoles sent to Bethlehem Apparatus for mercury recovery

75 years of excellence

TRC Program – How?

Letters to wholesalers and contractorsTwice/year Press releases published in

trade press and information to statesContact with NHRAW and ACCA HQ and

local chaptersContractor flier – Available on WebsiteContractor requests to wholesalers

75 years of excellence

TRC Program – How?

State and local government efforts – recovery greatest in states with aggressive efforts (Education, RCRA Enforcement, HHW Outreach, Container Placement, Pledge Program)

Incinerator Companies

75 years of excellence

TRC Program – Results

1/98-7/1/02 results (processed by TRC):> 150,000 thermostats> 1,300 pounds of mercury1,000 store participate

75 years of excellence

NATIONAL COLLECTIONS

050

100150200250300350400450500

1998 1999 2000 2001

POUNDS

STATS (100)

75 years of excellence

PROGRAM LESSONS

Products vastly different: Units Sold Size Fragility Level of Hazardous Substance Distribution Channel and Users (homeowners,

businesses, specialized installers) Availability and Attributes of Alternatives

75 years of excellence

PROGRAM LESSONS

TRC program works because; T stats contain grams/mercury (500-1000

times > CFLs or button batteries Number sold Economies from using existing limited

distribution system Contractors install Small, sturdy & wholesalers properly handle

75 years of excellence

BATTERY AND LAMP INDUSTRY APPROACH

Battery industry focused on source reduction.

Collection only where makes sense – RBRC rechargeable battery collection.

Lamp industry involved in both source reduction and recycling promotion for businesses.

U.S. mercury consumption, by end use; metric tons

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

1950 1960 1970 1980 1990OtherDental usesMeasuring & control instrumentsElectrical, total; includes wiring devices, batteries, lighting prior to 1977LightingBatteriesWiring devices & switchesAgriculturePharmaceuticalsLaboratory usesPaintChlorine & caustic soda mfgr.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Mines

75 years of excellence

BUTTON BATTERIES

Button cells used in hearing aids, digital thermometers, insulin pumps, portable medical monitors, hospital pagers, watches, toys, and calculators

Button batteries sold in US annually contain 2 tons

75 years of excellence

BUTTON BATTERIES

Disposal ban and collection not cost-effective.

According to analysis by Chittenden co. Vermont solid waste mgmt district, batteries and residential lamps are least cost-effective products to recover.

Need to recover 57,000 average hearing aid batteries to recover one pound of mercury

75 years of excellence

LAMPS

27 tons mercury in 1990 lamps 9 tons mercury in 2001 lamps54,500 2001 average four foot lamps

contain 1 pound mercury.113,000 CFLs contain 1 pound hg.Use of mercury containing lamps reduces

mercury in the environment.

Lifetime Mercury Emissions

0.7

89.0 (Mag) 78.0 (EEMag)

0.24

55.0

7.2

55.0

292.0

0

60

120

180

240

300

4 ft. T12 4 ft. T8 4 ft. T8 Incandescent

Hg ReleasedDuringDisposal

Hg ReleasedFrom PowerGeneration

*Based on 20K burning hours, Hg content of 23 mg per T12 lamp, and 8 mg per T8 lamp. Hg content of fuels is the US weighted average for fossil and non-fossil fuels, calculated from “Environmental and Health Aspects of Lighting: Mercury” J.IES 1994. Disposal emissions assume 3% in residuals of recycling, 90% from incinerators.

Magnetic TCLP Failing

Recycled

ElectronicTCLP Compliant

Recycled

ElectronicTCLP Compliant

Incinerated

Equivalent Light Output

Mil

lig

ram

s o

f M

ercu

ry

CONCLUSIONS

Hg from lamp disposal is small compared to Hg released from power generation required to operate lampIncandescent lamps contain no mercury but result in the highest Hg emissions

KEY

*

75 years of excellence

LAMPS

Lamp recycling has increased: 1997 75 million 2000 130 million NEMA estimate 21-26% recycling rate Existing infrastructure Manufacturer collection mandate interferes with

existing infrastructure and adds costs to preferable lighting source

85% of lamps used by businesses

75 years of excellence

LAMPS – OUTREACH

1. The internet (e.g., www.lamprecycle.org and www.almr.org)*. Sponsored respectively by NEMA Lamp

Manufacturers and Lamp Recyclers Contains State and Federal rules Lists Lamp Recyclers Recommends recycling

2. EPA Recycling Outreach $2 Million appropriation $750K to ALMR, NEMA and SWANA

75 years of excellence

SUMMARY

Different products have different attributes leading to different approaches.

Is recovery of product important because of volume or toxicity and is it worth the resources?

The market place is complex made up of competitors with different agendas using numerous product distribution paths.

What is the most cost-effective collection? Is product distribution system available for collection? Who are users (business vs. homeowner)? If homeowner how do you make it convenient? Does the spent product have value?

75 years of excellence

SUMMARY

What education is available to users?What roles should various participants

play (consumers, retailers, wholesalers, governments, manufacturers, recyclers)?