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What are the Federal And State Regulations for Mercury?
Federal Regulations
Mercury produces a hazardous waste. Every form of it is toxic and yet mercury is an essential element in millions of fluorescent lamps throughout the United States and millions more throughout the world. State and federal regulatory agencies are working to reduce mercury releases to the environment. Since January 1, 2000, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) has allowed for spent lamps to be managed as Universal Wastes. The Universal Waste Rules (UWR) are designed in part to simplify the management of mercury-containing wastes including spent fluorescent lamps. The Rules are also intended to encourage recycling, thereby reducing mercury emissions to the environment.
As an alternative to managing lamps as universal wastes, a facility may elect to manage its spent lamps as hazardous wastes. Hazardous waste rules - like the universal waste rules - are promulgated under the federal Resource Conservation Recovery Act (RCRA) and state laws equivalent to RCRA. RCRA regulates hazardous wastes "from the cradle to the grave." RCRA Subtitle C requires a waste generator to properly identify, treat, store, transport and dispose of hazardous wastes. The USEPA oversees the RCRA program but has delegated to the States the responsibility for the day-to-day management of the program. (See State EPA office website links below for more information concerning RCRA and the State agencies which administer RCRA.)
State Regulations
Many State Governing agencies have adopted their own regulations to dispose of Flourescent lights. In the states of California, Minnesota, Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Wisconsin, it is unlawful for anyone to dispose of fluorescent bulbs as universal waste. Please check with your local state environmental department to see what the regulations are for you.
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