[Announce] lights - where best to recycle round flourescents?

[Andy Arthur]

On Sat, 2007-07-14 at 10:41 -0700, James Travers wrote:
> Sheree, 
>  
> I know of no place to recycle these lamps which do contain a small
> quantity of mercury. 

The older non-CFL lamps from years ago have significantly amount mercury
then the old ones -- something like 20 milligrams vs. 2 milligrams in
CFLS and maybe 4 milligrams at the most in modern long florescent
bulbs. 

Actually, the low levels of mercury in modern bulbs are their leading
cause of failure these days -- the mercury over time absorbs into the
phosphorous, glass, and other parts of the bulb, meaning that bulbs
won't start anymore. New CFLs and long florescent bulbs simply do not
last as long as the ones from the 1960s -- many of which still work.
Then again, rapid start is both more energy efficient and easier on
bulbs then the old warm start of the 1960s -- for those switched on and
off regularly. 

Admittedly, most older thermometers have between 500 milligrams and
3,000 milligrams (.5-3 grams) mercury in them, as do other monitoring
equipment such as mercury manometers used on dairy farms -- which might
contain as much as 340,000 milligrams (340 grams) of mercury. 

And then there is Lafarge Cement plant in Ravena that releases into the
air about a pound and a half of mercury a DAY, which is equal to 680,355
milligrams of mercury. Of course that is methyl mercury already when it
goes into the air, so there isn't that pesky problem of getting the
mercury from sticking to the inside of the florescent bulb into the air.

Of course, you'd better ask Jim about that one. He knows better, as he's
their neighbors.

> The State University supposedly has dumpster for recycling
> fluorescents, but it is for their own waste and not open to the public
> for their use.

> Maybe an email to DGS Commissioner Willard Bruce would get you an
> answer about what the City does with the many of theirs when it's time
> for their disposal. 

State agencies are mandated to collect them for themselves, as are
businesses and other commercial entities, as they are considered
hazardous waste, although state law specifically exempts this for
residents.  I would try calling the hazardous waste people at the city
and see what they say.

I'm glad that is the policy. While florescent bulbs do last a long time,
the state goes through a ton of them as do many large commercial
entities -- especially compared to individuals. And the new bulbs, as
previously noted have far less mercury.