Lamp Recycling Solutions

Have you ever wondered what to do with a lamp at the end of life? Maybe you are a business owner or property manager in the Raleigh, Durham, North Carolina area and have become aware of the need to recycle lamps containing mercury but are not sure which option is best or how to find a local solution for recycling. In general, there are three type of options for recycling fluorescent, HID, CFL and other lamps. These options vary in costs. Typically the most expensive option is the Pre-Paid option as the cost to recycle a linear 4 foot fluorescent tube can cost as much as $1.00 or more. Another option is a bulk pickup, this option is used for facilities that have plenty of storage and are not concerned with the cost to bring in a dedicated trailer for transporting. A third option is what we like to call a local pickup or "Milk Run". With the "Milk Run" pickup there is flexibility and cost savings as well. Typically the local pickup fee is much lower and in some cases can save $100 or more on the transportation fee. Other benefits include: flexibility in managing storage of lamps, helps local economy, allows the processing facilities to focus on handling recycling of lamps, local and hands on advice and help when needed. If you are looking to find out more about recycling or have a question if your lamps need to be recycled, please feel free to contact your local lighting specialist for more information on recycling lamps.

My Eco Lamp would love to hear from you, please visit us online at http://www.myecolamp.com for more information on local pickups along with general guidelines for handling of lamps for recycling.

Thank you - Happy Memorial Day

Everyone at My Eco Lamp would like to thank everyone who has served our country and is serving. We salute you and wanted to take this time to thank you - Happy Memorial Day!

Did You Know... Fluorescent Bulbs Contain Mercury

Did You Know...

Fluorescent Bulbs Contain Mercury!
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Many states require lamp recycling and proper disposal of ballasts, batteries and electronic waste by law. Make sure your business is compliant with North Carolina's recycling guidelines and regulations. To find out more about lamp recycling we have included some helpful facts about lamps and recycling. Feel free to pass it along and together we can help keep mercury and other harmful materials out of our waste stream.

* When a lamp is broken, disposed in a landfill, or incinerated, the mercury can travel over 200 miles and can contaminate air, surface water and groundwater.
* Prolonged exposure to high levels of metallic, inorganic, or organic mercury can permanently damage the brain, kidneys and developing fetus.
* Mercury containing lamps are on the list for EPA hazardous substances.

For more information about lamps and recycling visit us online at My Eco Lamp


What types of lamps should be recycled?
Fluorescent Linear :T8, T12, T5
Compact Fluorescent
HID: Metal Halide, High Pressure Sodium, Mercury Vapor
Germicidal Lamps
U-Bend
Circular

Natural Lawn Care

It is not often we change topics from lamp recycling but with Spring in the air and grass starting to grow, flowers blooming we would like to share about an alternative to the harmful chemicals found in many lawn care products and services. Have you ever wondered why after a lawn service comes to your neighborhood and treats the lawn they place little flags around the yard? They do this to tell people to keep off the lawn. They have put down harmful chemicals that are dangerous to pets and children. Of course there is much more to it but today we would like to feature a Natural Alternative. Fire Belly Organic has a great 6 step program for keeping your lawns safe and green while promoting a healthy lawn and environment. To find out more, you can visit here

To a better tomorrow, today.

My Eco Lamp "Lamp Recycling Solutions"

Curbside Recycling Solutions for Residential and Small Business

Are you looking for a way to recycle? Are you located in the Raleigh, North Carolina area? MEL @ Home is a full service, Eco-Friendly curbside residential recycling program for residential and small businesses. Why recycle? Why MEL @ Home? "To Recycle or Not To Recycle?", that is a great question. At MEL @ Home recycling we do not try to make you feel guilty for not recycling (although...) nor do we charge an arm and a leg for recycling. We do not have a big fleet of trucks that use a lot of fuel or huge facilities that offset any benefit our recycling business provides. We do however offer local service, specialize in recycling for homes, apartment complexes and small businesses. In the coming months My Eco lamp will be launching a new Residential recycling and Small Business recycling service called MEL @ Home Recycling Solutions. This is a great way to properly recycle compact fluorescent lights, fluorescent and HID lamps, ballasts, batteries, e-waste. In addition to the regulated items it is a great way to recycle plastic, glass, steel and aluminum cans, boxes, styrofoam and other hard to recycle items.

To find out more about My Eco Lamp visit here.

Lamp Recycling Solutions - Fluorescent, HID, Ballasts and more. North Carolina

Did you Know...

*Many states require lamp recycling and proper disposal of ballasts, batteries, and electronic waste by law. In North Carolina, "Fluorescent lights discarded by non-households are effectively banned for disposal in solid waste landfills and incinerators..." (State Contract 926B).

*When a lamp is broken, disposed in a landfill, or incinerated, the mercury can travel hundreds of miles and contaminate air, surface water, and groundwater.

*Prolonged exposure to high levels of metallic, inorganic, or organic mercury can permanently damage the brain, kidneys and developing fetus.

*Mercury containing lamps are on the EPA's list of hazardous substances.

Are you a business in North Carolina wondering what to do with mercury containing lamps? Did you know that My Eco Lamp has a program for helping with lamp recycling and other materials as well. If you have 1 lamp or 1,000's of lamps, My Eco Lamp has a solution for your recycling needs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is the program for?
If your business or facility generates 1 lamp or 1,000s of lamps there is a solution for your business.

If you are a residential household looking for a convenient option for recycling CFL lamps. My Eco Lamp residential recycling program

What types of lamps can be recycled?
Types of lamps recycled include but are not limited to:
*Straight Fluorescent (all lengths and diameters)
*Compact Fluorescent Lamps (both with and without ballast)
*Circular
*U-bend
*UV Lamps (all sizes)
*Flood Lamps
*Incandescent
*Halogen
*HID
*Shatter shield or Coated Lamps (all sizes)


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Lamp Recycling for a Better Tomorrow

Have you ever wondered why recycle fluorescent lamps (CFL's, Linear) and other mercury containing lamps? Or maybe are curious about lamp recycling in general? Most would agree that recycling in general is good for the community and environment. Many people today do not think twice about recycling a soda can and other commonly recycled materials. Recycling of lamps however is not as common. It has been estimated that only about 2% of households recycle lamps using the HHW sites. It is our desire to help spread the word about the benefits of recycling and also to help with having a local service that would allow for curbside pickup of lamps. My Eco Lamp, LLC is currently servicing the Raleigh, North Carolina market and is looking for help to expand operations to service all of North Carolina. If you are a small business or household in the Raleigh area, please visit My Eco Lamp today to find out how you can help recycle lamps for a better tomorrow.

CFL Recycling Challenge: Got Lamps? Go Green, Recycle.

Recently we came across a great recycling challenge and it addresses something we would love to help spread the word about, recycling CFL lamps. If you would like to follow the discussion on CFL recycling on Twitter visit here to find out more about the Take the CFL Recycling Challenge we have included the link to Chris Baskind's Lighter Footstep full article here

If you live in North Carolina and would be interested in starting a local collection service for your community or business, we would love to hear from you. For more information on recycling of fluorescent lamps and other mercury containing lamps visit www.myecolamp.com

Lamp Recycling in North Carolina

Recycling lamps in North Carolina. My Eco Lamp located in Raleigh, North Carolina is excited about the New Year and would love to hear from you. If you are looking for a solution to recycling your HID, Linear Fluorescent T5, T8, T10, T12 lamps, CFL's, and other lighting related materials, My Eco Lamp is a local service providing affordable solutions for anyone looking to recycle and help keep our state free of mercury waste going to our landfills. For more information on My Eco Lamp, visit here My Eco Lamp, LLC "The Next Generation in Lighting" Lamp Recycling Solutions and Eco-Friendly Lighting Supply.

Facts about lamps containing mercury in North Carolina.
Did you know that there are estimated to be 15 million lamps ready for discard in North Carolina annually? Did you know that there are an estimated 120 million lamps containing mercury in use in North Carolina. For more on lamp recycling and how we can help, please feel free to drop us a line. To become a fan of us on Facebook visit our new page

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Thank you from My Eco Lamp, Lamp Recycling Solutions

My Eco Lamp wishes you and your family a Merry Christmas. From everyone at My Eco Lamp, thank you for a great 2009.

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Did you know that in North Carolina over 105 million milligrams of Mercury is ready for discard?

Did you know that in North Carolina there are approximately 15 million lamps ready for discard every year that contain mercury? Did you know that amounts to 231.5 pounds of Mercury and 105 million Milligrams of Mercury. (From Report on the Generation and Potential Recycling of Fluorescent Lights put out by NC DENR).

Compact fluorescent lights are a great tool when handled properly. Not only do the last up to 10 times longer compared to incandescent lights, they save a great deal of energy as well which has a great benefit locally on its impact from power plants, disposal of waste, etc...
Not only do CFLs contain small amounts of mercury, but other fluorescent lamps and some high intensity discharge (HID) lamps contain the heavy metal as well. Recycling a mercury-containing lamp ensures that 99.98 percent of the mercury used in the lamp is recovered, according to Lamprecycle.org (Earth911.com features a great article on how manufactures are taking steps to insure recycling and lower Mercury content.

To find out more about lamp recycling in Raleigh, North Carolina, visit My Eco Lamp If you are interested in starting a "Planting Seeds of Hope" community recycling program in your town please contact My Eco Lamp today. Together we can help change tomorrow by creating a safer place today.

Happy Thanksgiving

Everyone at My Eco Lamp Recycling Solutions would like to say thank you for your help this year and for the opportunity to be of service. We wish you and your family a Happy Thanksgiving.

Practically Speaking Not Recycling Lamps is Illegal

Did You Know...

Many states require lamp recycling and proper disposal of ballasts, batteries, and electronic waste by law. In North Carolina, businesses who discard lamps have to show that each lamp is TCLP compliant and can not take manufacture's claims. This test alone can cost over $1,000 making throwing lamps away "Practically Speaking Illegal". Even green end cap lamps have mercury. In some cases, due to the green end cap lamps, people have become unaware and misinformed about the proper disposal of fluorescent lamps. Even green end cap lamps need to be recycled.

When a lamp is broken, disposed in a landfill, or incinerated, the mercury can travel over 200 miles and can contaminate air, surface water, and groundwater.

Prolonged exposure to high level of metallic, inorganic, or organic mercury can permanently damage the brain, kidneys and developing fetus.

To find out more about recycling of fluorescent, HID, CFL and other lamps in North Carolina, visit www.myecolamp.com

Help Recycle Fluorescent, HID, and other lamps today.

CFL's and Recycling of Mercury Containing Lamps

I came across an article recently entitled CFL's It Takes a Team to Market a Lightbulb. I wanted to highlight an area that is close to our thoughts locally when it comes to recycling in our community in North Carolina. For more on this article visit below for a link to the full article.

"Even though CFLs represent a huge step forward in energy efficiency, all compact fluorescent bulbs including the Marathon bulb, contain a tiny, yet highly toxic amount of mercury. Mercury can cause mental instability, a change in personality, and damage to the liver and kidneys. Once in landfills, it can contaminate underground water supplies. Indeed, many states prohibit the disposal of CFLs in regular trash". We agree that CFLs are a great tool when it comes to addressing the issue of energy efficiency and believe that with the proper handling, they will help save resources and energy. Please Recycle Fluorescent Lamps at end of life and help keep our water streams clean.

To find out how you can recycle fluorescent lamps and other mercury containing lamps, visit My Eco Lamp or www.LampRecycle.org for areas outside of North Carolina.

For more on the article above, visit here

Growing demand for CFL and Fluorescent Lamps Increases Need for Lamp Recycling Services

Recently we came across an interesting and informative article about the proper handling and disposal of CFL fluorescent lamps. With the increasing popularity of compact fluorescent lamps, there is also an increasing amount of hazardous (mercury containing) lamps ending up in our landfills. To find out more about recycling of fluorescent lamps visit here

Jennifer Goodman with EchoHome has a great article on CFL Bulb Disposal: Handle With Care Mercury-containing bulbs necessitate recycling, not trashing. Below is part of the article. To read the complete article, visit their site here

As homeowners embrace more efficient lighting technologies, remodelers, electricians, and other contractors should think twice before tossing light bulbs and lighting fixtures in the trash.

Growing in popularity due to their long life and low energy usage, compact fluorescent (CFL) and other energy-efficient light bulbs such as linear fluorescent and high-intensity discharge (HID) lamps contain a very small amount of mercury, a poisonous substance. Ten states and multiple local jurisdictions prohibit the disposal of mercury-containing products--including CFLs and other mercury-containing bulbs--in solid waste. (For state-by-state regulations click here.)

Just as pros learned to safely dispose of old mercury thermostats, they will need to devise a plan for the way they dispose of remodeling waste containing these new types of bulbs, says Mark Kohorst, senior manager for environment, health, and safety for the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA).

“For example, in the past a contractor doing a kitchen remodeling project would gut the kitchen and didn’t worry about the old fixtures and bulbs—for the most part 25-cent incandescents—that were going in the trash,” says Kohorst. “As the marketplace changes, some of this lighting could now include CFLs, which need to be treated as special waste.”

But even with the threat of fines and penalties, the residential building industry has been slow to embrace CFL recycling, says Mark Tibbetts, director of NEMA’s recycling initiative.

“Recyclers find contractors to be a very tough market to crack, partly because there hasn’t been a real threat of enforcement,” Tibbetts says. “But as a contractor, you are liable if these lamps are part of your demolition.”

In coming years, pros are sure to find more of these types of bulbs in the houses they remodel, Tibbetts adds. CFL use is expected to grow in part because traditional incandescent bulbs will be phased out by 2014 under the federal Clean Energy Act. In many areas, energy companies already are offering incentives such as mail-in rebates to incite homeowners to switch to CFLs.

Energy Awareness Month

Did you know that October is Energy Awareness Month? My Eco Lamp is excited to be an Energy Star Partner and would like to thank all of you have taken the pledge to save energy while saving green. To find out more about Energy Star and energy efficiency, you can visit http://www.myecolamp.com or go directly to here

To Saving Energy!

When using energy efficient lamps, please remember to recycle CFL, Linear Fluorescent, HID and other mercury containing lamps. For more information on lamp recycling visit MyEcoLamp.com

Recycling Compact Fluorescent Lamps

Recently we have noticed that many folks still are not sure what to do with the "ice cream shaped" light called a compact fluorescent lamp when it comes to disposing of them? Do they contain mercury? If so, what would be the proper way to recycle a fluorescent lamp containing mercury? To answer this question Earth 911 has a great site and we thought we would share with you a section of their site where they talk about "Tips on Recycling a CFL" To find out more about Earth911.com visit the link below the feature for more information and a direct link to this content.

"Tips on Recycling a CFL

With compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs), mercury content needs to be taken into consideration before disposal. Mercury is an extremely hazardous waste and is a major health concern when it comes in contact with humans and animals. In humans, mercury can cause brain and kidney damage. While many companies hope to have non-mercury CFLs in the near future, right now, such lamps are not currently available.

When you are ready to recycle your used lamps:

* Be sure to carefully package them to ensure that they do not break in transport. This could release dangerous toxins.
* An easy way to prepare used lamps for recycling is to box them up in the packaging from your new lamps.
* Store your old lamps until you can locate an appropriate place to recycle them." To find out more about Earth 911 and this article visit here

Fluorescent, HID, Mercury Containing Lamps. Opportunity for Recycling To Be on Rise?

Below is a great opportunity coming for the commercial lighting industry. With the DOE getting ready to fund what they call the "Retrofit Ramp-Ups" there will be a likely influx of fluorescent, HID, and other mercury containing lamps headed for disposal in our landfills. Join My Eco Lamp on its goal to help change tomorrow by "Planting Seeds of Hope" today with our lamp recycling service and solutions program. To find out more about the DOE program, read below and visit here This is a great opportunity to not only save energy but to make a difference on the impact for tomorrow's generation.

DOE to Fund up to $454 Million for Retrofit Ramp-Ups in Energy Efficiency
Projects Seek to Make Efficiency Accessible to Every Business and Homeowner

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu today announced a new $450 million program designed to catalyze a nationwide energy upgrade that experts estimate could save $100 million annually in utility bills for households and businesses. The Recovery Act’s “Retrofit Ramp-Up” program will pioneer innovative models for rolling out energy efficiency to hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses in a variety of communities. Much like past roll-outs for cable TV or the Internet, DOE intends to create models that, when undertaken nationally, will save consumers billions of dollars on their utility bills and make the huge savings of energy efficiency available to everyone.

“Energy efficiency isn’t just low-hanging fruit; it’s fruit lying on the ground. We have the tools to reduce energy use at home and at work and to provide huge savings to families and businesses on their energy bills. But use of these technologies has been far too limited because we lack the simple and effective ways for people to access them,” said Energy Secretary Steven Chu.

“The ‘Retrofit Ramp-Up’ program will support large-scale models that can open new energy efficiency opportunities to whole neighborhoods, towns, and, eventually, entire states,” continued Secretary Chu. “The Recovery Act will allow innovative communities to demonstrate a variety of sustainable business models that can be replicated across the country.”

The Request for Information (RFI) being issued today is for competitively-selected local energy efficiency projects. This competitive portion of the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) Program will target community-scale retrofit projects that make significant, long-term impacts on energy use and can serve as national role models for grassroots energy efficiency efforts. DOE is seeking public comment on this newly funded program under the Recovery Act. Public comment ends on September 28, 2009.

Energy Efficient Lighting and Stewardship

Recently I attended a great seminar on Environmental Stewardship. The webinar was put on by North Carolina DENR. I think this is a great way for businesses looking to take steps on what impact they have locally. If you would like to find out more how your business can get involved click here to vist the Environmental Stewardship Initiative program.

If you are a business looking to save energy costs, My Eco Lamp is pleased to announce that they have become a full line commercial lighting distributor of energy efficient lights, ballast, fixtures and LED's. In addition to commercial lighting, My Eco Lamp offers a turn key solution for energy rebates, recycling and replacement lamps. Located in Raleigh, North Carolina and serving from Greensboro to the Coast. Visit online at www.myecolamp.com

Upcoming Seminar for Enviornmental Stewardship

Upcoming event:

The North Carolina Environmental Stewardship Initiative is conducting a free webinar entitled "Introduction to the North Carolina Environmental Stewardship Initiative" on Wednesday, Sept. 23, at 9 a.m. To find out more about this visit here