Fluorescent LAMP Compactor & Mercury Vapor Recovery System
Why recycle?
It's a fact - Nationwide (USA) there are over 400,000,000 fluorescent lamps thrown away every year.
It's a fact - One Gram of Mercury can contaminate enough water to fill a twenty acre lake.
It is estimated that some 400 million fluorescent bulbs and highway lamps are used annually in the U.S. This equates to around 13,000 tons of material disposed to landfill, including some 12 tons of mercury.
It's a fact - One Gram of Mercury can contaminate enough water to fill a twenty acre lake.
It is estimated that some 400 million fluorescent bulbs and highway lamps are used annually in the U.S. This equates to around 13,000 tons of material disposed to landfill, including some 12 tons of mercury.
Mercury is used in a wide variety of products including fluorescent bulbs, sodium and mercury lamps, etc. all resulting in mercurial waste.
It is estimated that the mercury from one fluorescent tube can pollute 30,000 liters of water beyond a safe level for drinking. There are strong environmental reasons for proper management and recycling of these bulbs on a worldwide scale.
It is estimated that the mercury from one fluorescent tube can pollute 30,000 liters of water beyond a safe level for drinking. There are strong environmental reasons for proper management and recycling of these bulbs on a worldwide scale.
Universal waste regulations ban landfill of items containing mercury and state that they be properly recycled. Failure to comply leaves you liable for penalties, including:
- Fines up to $25,000 or more.
- Damaged public image by not showing environmental responsibility.
- Long-term liability for illegally disposed of material.
Mercury can pose a serious health risk. The following warnings are in effect:
- Short-term exposure to high levels of mercury can cause lung damage, elevated blood pressure or heart rate.
- Long-term exposure to high levels of mercury can permanently damage the brain, kidneys and developing fetuses.
Mercury contamination causes long-term damage to the environment.
- Fish consumption warnings issued in many states and countries due to high levels of mercury pollution.
- Contaminated bodies of water - small amounts of mercury will contaminate a lake for centuries.
Although fluorescent lighting saves energy and money, they do present special disposal considerations. Fluorescent lamps contain mercury and are considered to be hazardous wastes when disposed. Although the amount of mercury in each lamp is small, several million lamps are discarded in the U.S. each year, making these lamps one of the largest sources of mercury in our garbage. When a lamp is broken or placed in a landfill or incinerator, the mercury can contaminate the air, surface water, ground water and your work environment.
More and more regulatory and environmental professionals agree that, when used properly, drum top crushers are a good, convenient and effective first step in the proper disposal and safe containment of fluorescent lamps and bulbs and the mercury that is in them.
Your business may be improperly disposing of mercury and other harmful heavy metals every day. You need to get the facts before it becomes a problem for your business, your health and your environment.