Salon Pros who care about the environment and the public’s health can easily recycle spent sunlamps.

 

Sunlamps contain mercury and lead, substances that can cause health problems for people and animals, and harm the environment if they enter soil, water or the air. Therefore, most states have regulations prohibiting disposal of lamps in municipal landfills. In fact, in January 2000, sunlamps — which were regulated by the Federal Environmental Protection Agency as hazardous waste — became regulated as universal waste under the Universal Waste Rule so that recycling lamps, or sending them to hazardous waste landfills, would be cheaper and easier for lamp users.

 

The Problem

How to dispose of spent sunlamps is a question because they contain small amounts of hazardous substances. The glass tubes of the lamp are filled with gasses, phosphor and mercury, which are needed to create and support an electrical arc across the lamp length, causing the phosphor coating to emit UV light when the lamp is lit. “Proper handling of the mercury is really what the federal regulations are trying to address,” explained Tony Amaro, vice president of Earth Protection Services, Inc., a company that recycles lamps and electronics. Exposure to mercury can cause kidney damage, emotional disturbances, corrosion of the skin, and neurological deficits to unborn children and children. Many waterways are now so contaminated with mercury that the fish there are unsafe – pregnant women and children are advised to eat only small quantities of those fish, or none at all.

Lamps also have wires and filaments made of lead. Lead exposure can harm virtually every system in the human body, and is particularly harmful to the developing brain and nervous system of fetuses and young children. In adults, lead can increase blood pressure and cause fertility problems, nerve disorders, muscle and joint pain, irritability, and memory or concentration problems. But salon pros who are not required to recycle lamps do have the choice, and can be environmentally friendly by spending a small amount of money to do it. “Lamp manufacturers and the states encourage people to recycle spent lamps,” Tony said.

 

A New Category

The federal government uses a test called the TCLP (toxicity characteristic leaching procedure) to help categorize products that could contain hazardous substances. Because sunlamps have a small amount of mercury and lead, they fail the TCLP test and are labeled as hazardous waste. Until Jan. 6, 2000, when the federal government reclassified TCLP-failing lamps as universal waste instead of hazardous waste, paperwork was required for people handling sunlamps and special vehicles had to transport them from the salon to a hazardous waste landfill or a certified recycling center. “The impact of the Universal Waste Rule is that it is less expensive to dispose of lamps as universal waste than hazardous waste, because certain storage, transportation and record-keeping requirements may be reduced or eliminated,” explained Michael Stepp, president of Wolff System Technology Corporation. Tony Amaro said the Universal Waste Rule has led to large savings since hazardous waste haulers aren’t needed. He said when it was mandated that hazardous waste haulers be used to transport lamps, some haulers would charge more than $300 minimum just for picking up the lamps.

Many states have adopted universal waste regulations that are stricter than the federal Universal Waste Rule. If your state doesn’t have any regulations stricter than the federal Universal Waste Rule, and you generate less than 220 pounds of hazardous waste per month – or less than 225 six-foot sunlamps – you are considered a “conditionally exempt small waste generator.” Conditionally exempt small waste generators can dispose of their lamps in a municipal solid waste landfill. But some of the states with regulations that are stricter than the Universal Waste Rule do not allow such an exemption. In fact, some states require all lamps be recycled and make recycling programs easily available to people who generate universal waste. Before disposing of your lamps, check with the agency that regulates universal waste disposal in your state (contact info is listed by state at the end of this story). “Even if you are a conditionally exempt small waste generator, it is not recommended that any mercury- or lead-containing lamps be placed in any waste stream that is likely to be burned in incinerators without emission controls,” Stepp said.

 

The Reasoning

It might be hard to understand why the federal government lessened its restrictions on sunlamp disposal when they want to encourage people to recycle lamps. The Environmental Protection Agency website states, “The simplified regulations will provide an incentive for individuals and organizations to collect the unregulated portions of the waste stream and manage them using the same systems developed for the regulated portion, thereby removing spent mercury- or lead-containing lamps from the municipal waste stream and minimizing the amount of hazardous constituents going to municipal landfills and combustors. If regulatory requirements are simpler, the compliance rate will improve, more hazardous waste lamps will be handled properly, and more spent lamps will be sent for recycling instead of going to solid waste landfills or to municipal waste combustors. Improved management will therefore lead to a reduction in the total amount of hazardous waste emissions to the environment.” And remember, many states believe the hazardous effects of mercury- and lead-containing lamps are so severe, they only allow them to be recycled or placed in hazardous waste landfills.

 

Just Do It!

Recycling spent lamps is easy and inexpensive, so there is little excuse for failing to do so. Business owners in some states don’t have a choice when it comes to recycling – spent sunlamps aren’t allowed in landfills. However, even businesses in states that do allow small quantity generators to dispose of their lamps in municipal landfills could face serious consequences. “Remember that the rules are dynamic and heavy metals are long-lived,” Tony Amaro said. “If the landfill has a problem with mercury at some time in the future, authorities will seek out the organizations that dumped mercury products there. These entities will then be held responsible for the clean- up under the ‘Super Fund’ law. Environmental clean-ups are always costly, often running into the millions.” But hopefully, it is salon pros’ consciences more than the threat of losing money that will prompt them to recycle lamps.

There are now companies nation-wide that recycle lamps for small fees. “Lamps can be de-manufactured, reducing them to four products: glass, aluminum, phosphor powder and mercury, which are then returned to the economy for reuse,” Tony explained. The cost of this service can range from 35 cents to $1.50 per lamp. “These are not prices that would greatly affect the budget of any salon owner,” Tony said. Many recycling companies make it easy and convenient to get the lamps to the recycling facility. Some  facilities tack on a fee to pick up lamps from the salon and recycle them, and some companies send customers boxes to pack their lamps in and ship them back to the recycling facility.

 

Pay Attention

You might think you’re only one, small salon owner, but anyone can get caught if they aren’t following state and federal regulations regarding lamp disposal. Salon owners can incur fines and other penalties if they dispose of their spent sunlamps incorrectly. Some organizations, such as the North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset, NY, have been fined as much as $40,000 for mishandling their fluorescent lamps. If you have questions about lamp disposal, check with your state regulatory agency, and remember – recycling lamps is always a bright idea.  

To locate a recycling center in your area, visit www.nema.org/lamprecycle

State agencies that regulate sunlamp disposal:

Alabama Dept. of Environmental Mgmt.

Land Div.

334.271.7730

Alaska Dept. of Environmental Conservation

Environmental Health Div., Solid Waste Office

800.510.2332 

Arizona Dept. of Environmental Quality

Waste Programs Div., Hazardous Waste Office

602.207.4153 

Arkansas Dept. of Environmental Quality

Hazardous Waste Div.

501.682.0833 

California Environmental Protection Agency

Toxic Substances Control Dept.

Hazardous Waste Div.: 916.324.7193

Duty Officer Hotline: 800.728.6942 

Colorado Dept. of Public Health & Environment

Hazardous Materials and Waste Mgmt. Div.

303.692.3320

Connecticut Environmental Protection Dept.

Bureau of Waste Mgmt.

860.424.3021

Delaware Dept. of Natural Resources &

Environmental Control

Solid & Hazardous Waste Mgmt. Branch

302.739.3689 (Hazardous Waste Help Line)

800.404.7080 (HHW information) 

Florida Environmental Protection Dept.

Hazardous Waste Mgmt. Section

850.488.0300

Georgia Dept. of Natural Resources

Environmental Protection Div.,

Hazardous Waste Mgmt. Branch

404.657.8831 

Hawaii Dept. of Health/Environmental Mgmt. Div.

Solid & Hazardous Waste Branch

808.586.4226

Idaho Health & Welfare Dept.

Environmental Quality Div.

208.373.0148

Illinois Environmental Protection Agency

Bureau of Land

217.524.3300

Indiana Dept. of Environmental Mgmt.

Office of Land Quality

800.451.6027  

Iowa Dept. of Natural Resources

Environmental Protection Div.

515.281.3426

Kansas Dept. of Health & Environment

Bureau of Waste Mgmt.

785.296.1600 

Kentucky Natural Resources & Environmental Protection Cabinet

Environmental Protection Dept.

Div. of Waste Mgmt.

502.564.6716

Louisiana Environmental Quality Dept.

Office of Waste Services

225.765.0355

Maine Environmental Protection Dept.

Bureau of Remediation & Waste Mgmt.

207.287.2651 

Maryland Environment Dept.

Waste Mgmt. Administration,

Hazardous Waste Program

410.631.3343 

Massachusetts Dept. of Environmental Protection

Bureau of Waste Prevention

617.556.1096 

Michigan Dept. of Environmental Quality

Waste Mgmt. Div.

517.373.2730 

Minnesota Pollution Control Agency

Customer Assistance

651.296.5763

Mississippi Environmental Quality Dept.

Pollution Control Office,

Hazardous Waste Branch

601.961.5221 

Missouri Natural Resources Dept.

Div. of Environmental Quality,

Hazardous Waste Program

573.751.3176

Technical Assistance Program

800.361.4827  

Montana Environmental Quality Dept.

Waste Mgmt. Office

406.444.3490

Nebraska Environmental Quality Dept.

RCRA Section

402.471.4210

Nevada Conservation & Natural Resources Dept.

Environmental Protection Div.

Waste Mgmt. Bureau

775.687.4670

New Hampshire Dept. of Environmental Services

Waste Mgmt. Div.

603.271.2942

New Jersey Environment

Protection Dept.

Div. of Solid & Hazardous Waste

Bureau of Landfill & Recycling Mgmt.

609.984.5950

New Mexico Environment Dept.

Environment Protection Div.

Solid Waste Bureau

505.827.2775

New York Environmental Conservation

Bureau of Hazardous Waste Mgmt. Technical Determinations Section

518.485.8988

North Carolina Environment & Natural Resources Dept.

Hazardous Waste Section

919.733.2178

North Dakota Dept. of Health

Environmental Health Section

Hazardous Waste Program

701.328.5166

Ohio Environmental Protection Agency

Div. of Hazardous Waste Mgmt.

614.644.2934

Oklahoma Environmental Quality Dept.

Hazardous Waste Compliance Section

405.702.5100

Oregon Environmental Quality Dept.

Hazardous Waste Program

503.229.5913

Pennsylvania Environmental Protection

Land Recycling & Waste Mgmt. Bureau Hazardous Waste Mgmt.

717.787.6239

Rhode Island Environmental Mgmt.

Environmental Protection Bureau

Waste Mgmt. Office

401.222.2797 

South Carolina Health & Environmental Control Dept.

Hazardous & Infectious Waste Mgmt. Bureau of Land & Waste

803.896.4002 

South Dakota Environment & Natural Resources Dept.

Waste Mgmt. Program

605.773.3153

Tennessee Environment & Conservation

Solid/Hazardous Waste Mgmt. Office

615.532.0780 

Texas Natural Resource Conservation

Policy & Regulations Div.

512.239.4900

Utah Environmental Quality Dept.

Div. of Solid & Hazardous Waste

801.538.6170 

Vermont Environmental Conservation

Waste Mgmt. Div.

802.241.3888 

Virginia Dept. of Environmental Quality

Waste Programs

804.698.4421 or 804.698.4213 

Washington Ecology Dept.

Hazardous Waste & Toxics Reduction

360.407.6700

Washington District of Columbia Environmental Health Administration

Div. of Hazardous Waste

202.535.2290 

West Virginia Environment Bureau

Waste Mgmt. Office

Hazardous Waste Mgmt.

304.558.5393 

Wisconsin Dept. of Natural Resources

Waste Mgmt. Program

Hazardous Waste Team

608.266.2111 

Wyoming Environmental Quality Dept.

Solid & Hazardous Waste Div.

307.777.7752

 

Be Earth Friendly...

Recycle Lamps!