Fluorescent Bulb Disposal

Fluorescent Bulbs

In industry today bright, cool-burning fluorescent light bulbs are used. We see them in our schools, stores, court rooms, even in the capitol of the United States! What most people don't realize is that these once thought to be harmless bulbs are indeed harmful to not only humans, but other living beings, and the environment if not disposed of properly. Fluorescent bulbs do offer great environmental advantages; they convert electricity into illumination three to five times as efficiently as incandescent lights thus using less energy, lamp life is longer, and with improved technology these once irritating to the eye type of lights are now acceptable for use anywhere an incandescent light is. Still, while offering these tremendous advantages to not only businesses and the environment by lowering energy consumption, fluorescent bulbs still contain items such as fluorine, neon, lead powder, and the toxic heavy metal, Mercury, which can leach out of landfills and poison our drinking water, soil, and add toxic fumes to the air we breathe.

Typically in the past people would dispose of fluorescent bulbs by simply "throwing them in the garbage". This once acceptable practice is no longer acceptable for businesses under most local, county, and state regulations. Many states nationwide are enforcing laws upon businesses to not allow them to dispose of fluorescent light bulbs by simply utilizing the municipal trash. According to the State of Illinois, the state is encouraging business owners to properly recycle waste lamps by allowing shippers to consider fluorescent lamps as universal wastes meaning a hazardous waste manifest is not needed. New York states that due to the difficulty in determining which bulbs are considered "hazardous" all are considered hazardous due to the typically found Mercury content within these bulbs and are not to be disposed of with the regular trash. In the extremely environmentally conscious state of California, not only are businesses not supposed to dispose of fluorescent bulbs in with the regular trash, but residents are asked not to do that as well; while in Minnesota and Wisconsin it has been outlawed all together for anyone to dispose of fluorescent bulbs via means of regular trash disposal. Yet, while regulatory agencies try to enforce laws upon businesses and in some instances residents as well, to not throw these types of light bulbs out, many people still see the regular trash as a way to cheaply and quickly dispose of these bulbs without all the hassle. University of Illinois at Springfield states, "People need to understand that these bulbs are considered "hazardous" and can cause long term damage to not only the environment, but if broken can cause health problems with people as well. Mercury has the ablility to cause humans, as well as animals, serious health problems such as permanent nerve and kidney damage if exposed to."

We as a society need to understand that simply disposing of these types of items that are known to create issues with the environment as well as ourselves cannot simply be disposed of into an area (landfills) where animals are known to habitat, rainwater can cause leaching into the groundwater affecting our drinking water supply, and wind can carry toxic fumes into our neighborhoods. It is just entirely a bad situation to create.

ADCO Services, Inc. can offer you an easy way to properly dispose of your fluorescent light bulbs and keep you in compliance with regulations related to fluorescent bulb disposal not to mention not further harming the environment. ADCO Services uses only licensed and approved treatment facilities who will recycle your light bulbs in an environmentally friendly manner. We can offer you pricing on a per pound basis with a minimal transportation charge, as well as pricing based per job. We can also offer you supplies needed to properly transport these bulbs. ADCO Services wants you to do your part to keep America beautiful!

(Sheila Raccoon, a native resident near the Joliet, IL landfill)

Call Today! (708) 429-1660

Home