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Your business is liable for all the dangerous waste you generate. If you are uncertain about your responsibilities as a dangerous waste generator, call your nearest Ecology office and ask for a hazardous waste specialist. 
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Free Recycling Coming for Mercury-containing Lights
People in Washington will soon have another option for disposing of their mercury-containing lights. Ecology is developing a program to be up and running in January of 2013. The producers of mercury-containing lights, such as fluorescent tubes and compact fluorescent lights, will provide a free collection and recycling program. How many lights can I bring for recycling?Washington residents will be able to drop off up to 15 lights for recycling at no charge. The producers will pay the cost of collection, transportation, and recycling. If your business is small enough that you collect less than 15 spent lights in a three-month period, you may drop those lights off at a product stewardship program collection site at no charge. Why is this being provided now?In 2010, the Washington Legislature passed a “product stewardship” law requiring the producers of mercury-containing lights to fund this collection and recycling program. The law also requires all residents to recycle their mercury-containing lights. What is product stewardship?Product stewardship is a principle that calls on those in the product lifecycle – producers, retailers, consumers, and recyclers – to share responsibility for reducing the environmental impacts of products. The producer of the product has the greatest ability to minimize adverse impacts, but other stakeholders, such as suppliers, retailers, and consumers, also play a role. A good example is the E-Cycle Washington program. E-Cycle Washington provides recycling of computers, monitors, and televisions at no cost to consumers, schools, and small businesses. Manufacturers pay for the program, which keeps electronics out of the landfill. Why product stewardship for mercury-containing lights?Energy efficient lights are becoming more common in homes and businesses. Many of these lights contain mercury, a toxic metal. (Fluorescent lights, such as the familiar long tubes, have always contained small amounts of mercury.) Proper handling of spent mercury-containing lights is critical. Broken lights can expose workers, residents, and children to small amounts of toxic mercury vapors (see How to Clean Up a Broken Fluorescent Bulb). Mercury released into the environment can contaminate fish and anyone who eats those fish. Proper recycling of these lights captures the mercury, as well as recycling the glass, metal, and other parts of the spent light.
Where can I go for more information?
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Copyright © Washington State Department of Ecology. See http://www.ecy.wa.gov/copyright.html.
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