for mercury lights & carpet kara j. steward waste 2 resources ecology
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forMERCURY LIGHTS & CARPET
Kara J. StewardWaste 2 Resources
Ecology
More efficient Longer lasting Lower power
demand Cheaper than
LED Incandescent
phase out
Don’t throw them in the trash!
Source: NEWMOA at www.newmoa.org
CFL contains 3-5 mg of mercury Estimated 300 million CFLs sold in US
each year = 1,500 kg mercury (= 1.6 tons)
Mercury from one broken CFL Releases 200–800 μg/m3 mercury Contaminate 1,000 gallons of
waterwww.ecy.wa.gov/mercury/mercury_bulb_cleanup.html
Don’t throw mercury lights in the trash!!!!
Local government collection MRW, HHW
State agencies recycle Gov Locke Executive Order 04-
01 responsible purchasing Take back programs
Retailers (Home Depot, Lowes, Ace, McLendons, Bartells)
Utilities (PSE and PUDs) Curbside collection
(Kent/Shoreline) Producer mail back
Stewardship Program “Producers” = sell in or into
WA Finance the program, including Collection Transportation Recycling Public education Fund Ecology oversight Program starts January 2013
Disposal Ban Jan 2013 RCW 70.275
Stewardship Program Residential lights only
Homes, small businesses Convenient collection
Every county Every city >10,000
No charge for drop off Limited to 15 lights in 90
days Other options
Mail-back program Curbside collection (Shoreline,
Kent) RCW 70.275
Collect producer fees Write guidelines for plan content Approve Producer Plans Register collectors, curbside &
mail-back programs Work with stakeholders (that’s
you!)
Get the word out: websites, newsletters, meetings, presentations
Register for the Listserv
▪ Public▪ Recyclers ▪ Retailers ▪Utilities
You will receive updates on program progress and
opportunities to participate!
▪Collectors▪Government▪Haulers▪ Producers
Nationally 27 million tons disposed annually (1.2% of
MSW) Recycling rate is 3% (2009)
Washington 145,000 tons disposed annually (3.2% of
MSW) 7th most prevalent item in waste stream (by
weight )
Recycling rate is 2% (2009)
2002 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)
22 States and Carpet Industry Diversion goal of 40% Actual recycling rate to date: 3%
Led by Seattle Public Utilities & King County
Multi-stakeholder process to increase carpet recycling in the region
Strategy document points to product stewardship
Environmental impact study Recycling preferred choice Reduces GHG emissions
US carpet recyclers
CaliforniaAssembly Bill 2398Signed into law Sept 2010First and only in the countrySupported by the carpet industryProgram in place Jan 2012
Senate Bill 5110 Introduced by Senator Kohl-WellesOriginal draft based on CA’s lawRequired carpet manufacturers fund
a statewide recycling program Introduced 2011Reintroduce in 2012
