Everlights

Due to the mercury used to create them, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) added fluorescent lamps to its Universal Waste Rule in 1999. This regulation requires all businesses to recycle used lamps, preventing the mercury from entering into the ground, water and air. Although a good amount of businesses already recycle fluorescent lamps properly, there are still a lot that don’t. We put together this easy to follow list to help you get your business on the fast track to lamp recycling.

1. Assess Your Facility 

At the beginning of the process, it is in your best interest to bring in one or two recycling companies to look at your facility and determine what needs to be recycled. Based on the number of lamps, size of the facility and storage space, the recycling company will be able to tell you which program is best suited for you.

2. Set Budget and Plan Ahead

Always take time to plan ahead. Set a budget for lamp recycling like you would for anything else. Without this step, you could end up spending too much on lamp recycling. EverLights will provide its customers with pricing to help determine what their budget should be set at.

3. Select a Recycling Company

Now that you’ve completed the walk-through, reviewed the pricing and set a budget, it’s time to pick a recycling company. Please do not make this decision based simply on price. As a business, we realize you want to keep costs down, so price will play a big role. When you’re making this decision, however, it is important that you make sure all permits, recycling technologies, transportation operations and other practices meet all state and federal regulations.

4. Storing and Managing Your Lamps

Once you’ve picked a recycling company, you will need to decide how and where to store all those used lamps. How a business will do this depends largely on how much space it has. Storage can often prove to be difficult for small businesses, so you should ask your recycling company what the best option is. This is usually a mail-in program that allows you to store lamps in a box or pail, minimizing the amount of space needed.

For large companies or buildings, an area is usually designated for storage of all universal waste. These companies should use boxes or drums to store the lamps so they are not broken. Boxes and drums are usually provided by the recycling company upon request.

The most important part of this step is creating proper handling procedures to prevent lamps from breaking. EverLights can provide information to help you create these procedures.

5. Educate Employees

Once the process for handling used lamps is created, you must educate your employees. It is important that all employees understand how to handle and dispose of fluorescent lamps to prevent any potential issues.

6. Send Lamps to Recycling Company

There are multiple ways to get rid of your waste when you think it is time to part ways. EverLights offers the following options to its customers.

• Dedicated pick-up: The recycling company will pick up lamps from your facility. This is a great option because the driver is trained to assist your company with on-site issues and can answer any questions you might have.
• Common carrier: A freight company picks up the lamps from your facility and brings them to the lamp recycling facility for processing.
• Mail-in recycling: This is an easy to use option for small amounts of lamps. Fill the box or pail provided and mail it back to the recycling company for processing. Shipping and recycling fees are included in the cost of EverLights’ mail-in program, EverMail.
• Drop-off: Bring your lamps to the recycling facility. Not all companies offer this, but EverLights does!

7. Record and Track Data

EverLights provides customers with all the necessary information needed to prove that they followed all regulations when recycling. Recycling certificates are sent to the customer shortly after lamps have been processed, and other information can be supplied upon request. Businesses should keep all documents on file to demonstrate proper compliance.

If you have any questions, or would like EverLights to come assess your facility, please contact us today.