Recycle Products Containing Mercury in North Carolina

We are excited about the progress that is being made with technology and lower level mercury containing lamps but like any tool, you have to respect it or you could be potentially hurt. In America, one-in-six children born every year have been exposed to mercury levels so high that they are potentially at risk for learning disabilities, motor skill impairment and short-term memory loss.

The Mercury from one fluorescent bulb can pollute 6,000 gallons of water beyond safe levels for drinking.

Did you know that all these lamp types contain mercury: CFL (compact fluorescent lamps) linear fluorescent lamps, Metal Halide, High Pressure Sodium, UV, Germicidal, U-Bend Fluorescent lamps and even green end cap lamps contain mercury.

If you are interested in finding out how your community can start a community recycling program for mercury containing lamps contact My Eco Lamp today and ask about the community program outreach "Planting Seeds".


North Carolina News On Recycling Fluorescent Lamps:

Recently North Carolina has presented House Bill 1287 to address the rising popularity of mercury containing lamps. House Bill 1287 Short Title: Recycle Products Containing Mercury.

For more information on the House Bill 1287 visit here.

Recycle Batteries?

Recently I came across a great article written by Trey of Earth911.com in regards to recycling of batteries. At My Eco Lamp we have had many questions raised about battery recycling and should we recycle or not. This is a great question and this article entitled "Recycling Mysteries: Batteries" by Trey Granger can be found here

If you are a business located in North Carolina and you are looking for a way to manage your fluorescent lamp recycling, ballasts recycling, battery, and e-waste recycling. My Eco Lamp is located in the heart of North Carolina and would be delighted to help create an affordable lamp recycling solution for your business. No customer should have to worry about what to do with their universal waste. No business to small or to large. Call or visit us online today at www.myecolamp.com for more information.

"Planting seeds for tomorrow by recycling lamps today."

Lamp Recycling Solutions

Campaign for Mercury Reduction In Landfills

My Eco Lamp is working locally in North Carolina to help spread the word about lamp recycling. We are looking for your help to spread the word. If you would like to find out more, please email or visit us online today. We have setup a Sprout page recently and would love your feedback.

Did you know even green end caps have mercury in them?

Why Recycle Fluorescent Bulbs?

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In America, one-in-six children born every year have been exposed to mercury levels so high that they are potentially at risk for learning disabilities, motor skill impairment and short-term memory loss.
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The Mercury from one fluorescent bulb can pollute 6,000 gallons of water beyond safe levels for drinking.
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100 four-foot long fluorescent lamps contain about 4 grams of mercury. It only takes 1 teaspoon of mercury to contaminate a 20-acre lake FOREVER.
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In 1992, mercury-containing lamps were added to the United States' Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) list of hazardous substances. (The EPA's regulatory threshold of 2 mg./liter is usually exceeded by mercury-containing lamps).
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Mercury was number three on the 1997 list of hazardous substances as outlined by the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) and the EPA.
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Each year, an estimated 600 million fluorescent lamps are disposed of in U.S. landfills amounting to 30,000 pounds of mercury waste.
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The Environmental Protection Agency reports that 187 incinerators nationwide emit approximately 70,000 total pounds of mercury into the environment each year.

Did you know?

Recently we have been out talking with businesses about recycling of fluorescent lamps, ballasts, e-waste in the Raleigh, NC area. We are finding out alot of great information in this process and also helping get the word out about the health concerns and risks involved with lamps being thrown away.

Did you know that in North Carolina: Fluorescent lights discarded by non-households are effectively banned from disposal in solid waste landfills and incinerators (see fact sheet on the Regulatory Status of Fluorescent Lamps

To find out more about lamp recycling visit My Eco Lamp

Health Effects of Mercury

We are going to continue to share about the topic of Mercury and the effects it has on people and the environment. The EPA has a great section that discusses the topic in much more detail at I would like to highlight a few here.

*For fetuses, infants, and children, the primary health effect of methylmercury is impaired neurological development.

Fluorescent lamps contain Elemental mercury (including CFL's, and HID's).
*Elemental (metallic) mercury primarily causes health effects when it is breathed as a vapor where it can be absorbed through the lungs. These exposures can occur when elemental mercury is spilled or products that contain elemental mercury break and expose mercury to the air, particularly in warm or poorly-ventilated indoor spaces. The first paragraph on this page lists the factors that determine the severity of the health effects from exposure to mercury. Symptoms include these: tremors; emotional changes (e.g., mood swings, irritability, nervousness, excessive shyness); insomnia; neuromuscular changes (such as weakness, muscle atrophy, twitching); headaches; disturbances in sensations; changes in nerve responses; performance deficits on tests of cognitive function. At higher exposures there may be kidney effects, respiratory failure and death. People concerned about their exposure to elemental mercury should consult their physician.