Category: Universal Waste Rule

New federal label for household light bulbs packages could help consumers warm up to CFL, LED bulbs | cleveland.com

April 16, 2012   nlrgreen   No comments

It used to be that picking up a two-pack or four-pack of light bulbs was a no-brainer.

As if by instinct, most consumers knew what wattage bulb to buy. A 40-watt bulb might go in a closet, a 75-watt could be used in a reading lamp, and a bright 100-watt might go above a workbench. But most often, consumers bought a 60-watt bulb — pretty bright but not blinding, and not so hot that it ruined the fixture.

Much of that buying decision, though, was based on experience and marketing, including information on the package. It was all about how much power a bulb used.

“We have been conditioned to buy on watts,” said Peter Soares, director of consumer marketing for Philips Lighting.Not for long. Because of new technologies, the industry wants consumers to choose light bulbs by lumens, which measure brightness, not by watts. This will be done with fancy new packaging and a sober, federally mandated label.

Read More via New federal label for household light bulbs packages could help consumers warm up to CFL, LED bulbs | cleveland.com.

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Thumbs Up for Lamp Recycling!

January 11, 2012   nlrgreen   No comments
thumbs-up

Fluorescent lamp recycling for a business of any size has its positives that far outweigh not recycling and just going on with business as usual. There are positives that can be quantified, ones that can be physically seen and still others that have long reaching effects.

  • Through tracking and reporting a business can have a total of all their recycling efforts across one or multiple sites. This will allow them to be able to craft a more effective lamp recycling program by being able to pin-point which program (bulk or mail back) is right for them.
  • The bottom line. As with most things there is a charge for lamp recycling, but the cost is less than fines that can be assessed for improper management. Would a company rather pay $49 for a pre-paid recycling program that eliminates their liability or would they rather pay hundreds of dollars in fines for the same material that wasn’t recycled?
  • By collecting and correctly storing used lamps a business can reduce their liability for breakage, environmental breach, and possible employee injury
  • Recycling is both environmentally and corporate responsible. Recycling lamps keeps mercury out of our landfill and in turn out of the water and food sources that can directly impact our health
  • A lamp program can help a business increase their green image as well as convey a message of environmental stewardship to their employees and customers. Businesses can set up a company-wide recycling drive for all their employees or use their total lamp recycling numbers to quantify how much mercury was kept out of the environment. Real “Green Press” is green gold in today’s PR world.
  • Simply-Its the law and the right thing to do.

 

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The Thin Green Line

January 06, 2012   nlrgreen   No comments

Green Line

Programs like office paper, glass and can recycling are often implemented by a business’s  ”green team’ or as part of a corporate sustainability program. These programs help not only the environment but also provide a tangible aspect to a businesses green image and environmental responsibility. A corporate officer or employee can easily see the recycling bins and see what they have accomplished. However a company may not be subject to EPA fines if  the program is improperly managed or liable for incorrect storage of these items.* Would a EPA auditor say “Hey those aluminum cans and paper for shredding have no accumulation date.” or “What is your procedure to guard against environmental breach of those Snapple bottles?”. Most likely not. So when does environmental responsibility become a environmental requirement? Answer: When a company generates used lamps, batteries, ewaste, ballasts or mercury devices.

While used fluorescent lamps are taken away to the proper storage containers in the back of a  facility may not be in your face “look at us we recycle” it is still environmentally friendly and most importantly is the LAW.  Simple things such as having a universal waste recycling program, trained staff or properly stored containers with accumulation dates can help companies be compliant and reduce their liability. All of these things can be accomplished without a environmental health and safety officer or being a draw on budgets. The below are a few simple steps to successful universal waste recycling:

1) Learn & Educate-Understand your state’s regulations and specifics on universal waste
• What is Universal Waste? • RCRA Requirements • My State’s Regs
2) Assess Your Company- Take a general look at what universal waste your company produces and how often. See if you are a small or large generator3) Plan the Program- Based on the amount of waste generated see if a national mail-back program or bulk pick-up service is needed. Also look at factors beyond quantities such as ease of management, your facilities locations, or specific needs of your industry.

4) Implement & Monitor- Once you have selected the proper program be sure to implement it company-wide, educate employees, monitor progress, keep recycling records/certificates and evaluate the program yearly.

5) Have Questions or Need Assistance? Get Help-Call 877.822.4733 to discuss your company’s specific needs, implement a new program or to enhance a current one.
*depending on what state your company is in this may not be true. Check your local laws and regulations.

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New York City Schools Pressed To Get Rid Of PCBs

December 14, 2011   nlrgreen   No comments

Huff Post :: ::Claire Gordon :: claire.gordon@teamaol.com

At the end of the 2010-2011 school year, Michelle Chapman‘s 10-year-old daughter started complaining about headaches and fatigue. Her symptoms stopped during the summer, only to return when school started again in the fall. Doctors didn’t know what made the girl sick, but Chapman thinks she does: the fluorescent light fixtures at her daughter’s school, which are contaminated with sky-high levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), one of the most toxic chemicals ever made by man. Long-term exposure can damage a child’s ability to learn and a woman’s ability to bear healthy babies.

In New York City, 754 schools have fluorescent lights that are likely tainted with PCBs, according to the city’s School Construction Authority. The substance may be leaking into the air and building up in the bodies of teachers and children. At first, city officials denied there was a health risk. Now they acknowledge that there is one, but say it will take ten years to remove all the potentially toxic lights.

“It’s so scary,” says Chapman. “My daughter is 10. When she’s in her child-bearing years she’s going to have PCBs in her system. It seems like they’re choosing policy over our lives.”

The Environmental Protectional Agency has recommended all of the old lights be replaced in a maximum of five years, as has New York City Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn. Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) has said the timeframe for replacement should be two to five years. A year ago, New York Lawyers for the Public Interest, a nonprofit civil rights firm that has worked closely with advocates to remove PCBs from schools, said it should be two years.

Parents, women’s health activists, environmentalists and lawyers have been holding rallies to pressure Mayor Michael Bloomberg‘s administration to act faster. On Monday, more than a dozen elected officials gathered together with other concerned parties on the steps of City Hall. “ABCs not PCBs,” they chanted, when Bloomberg made a surprise — and brief — appearance.

“Our plan to replace light fixtures in nearly 800 school buildings is unprecedented compared to other cities, and PCBs are a nationwide issue,” Natalie Ravitz, director of communications for the NYC Department of Education, told The Huffington Post via email.

Miranda Massie, the legal director of New York Lawyers for the Public Interest, said in response, “The fact that children are being poisoned elsewhere is not a morally attractive argument.”

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Philips to continue incandescent bulb phase-out

December 13, 2011   nlrgreen   No comments

Royal Philips Electronics has announced that it will continue its independent efforts to phase-out incandescent light bulbs in the GCC.

After Philips’ 100-watt and higher phase-out of energy inefficient light bulbs in September 2010, the company decided to discontinue and replace the 75-watt incandescent lamps as of January 2012, with energy-efficient alternatives like compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs), energy-saving halogens and LED bulbs.

Philips invented the energy saving light bulb in 1980, and continued to develop energy efficient lighting solutions as a proof-point of their efforts and commitment to sustainability and the environment, a statement from the company said.

Lighting accounts for 19 percent or one third of the world’s electricity consumption, where 90 percent of the energy used through an incandescent light bulb is wasted as heat, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA).

However, 80 percent savings can be made by simply converting from traditional conventional lamps to energy saving ones, it said.

In the GCC alone, switching all residential lighting to energy efficient solutions will reduce a tremendous amount of CO2 emissions yearly.

With this switch, consumers will not only preserve the environment but also be able to save on their electricity bills without compromising on the quality of light, instead, creating the perfect ambiance at home.

“Homes are currently dominated by incandescent bulbs, and approximately two third of the world’s lighting solutions in use are based on old, less energy efficient technologies”, says Paolo Cervini, general manager of Philips Lighting, Middle East & Turkey. “Making a switch to energy efficient lighting solutions is simple and easy, with a remarkable effect.”

“Philips is aware that significant savings can be made in terms of energy consumption, carbon emission and costs by switching to energy efficient solutions, therefore, we continue our unilateral phase-out of incandescent lamps and simultaneously educate the public through different initiatives on the benefits of the switch,” he added.

Compact fluorescent energy savers are up to five times more efficient than incandescent lamps, as they need around five times less energy to generate the same amount of light, the statement said.

Philips CFLs lasts an average of eight times longer than incandescent lamps, needing less frequent replacements. The Philips Genie 14W which can be used as an alternative to the incandescent 75-watt light bulb is an ultra-efficient lamp which saves up to 80 percent energy and has a lifetime of 8,000 hours. – TradeArabia News Service

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Stores Respond to New Light Bulb Legislation

November 21, 2011   nlrgreen   No comments
Written by J. Patrick Eaken
Thursday, 17 November 2011 15:21

In the movie “Saving Private Ryan,” WWII American troops putting their lives on the line to seek Private James Francis Ryan sarcastically comment that he had better invent a better light bulb someday, or their effort is not worth it.

Well, somebody is.

Stores in Northwood, Woodville, and Oregon are responding to meet the demand for compact fluorescent lamp (CFL) and LED lighting.

Beginning Jan. 1, 2012, throughout the United States and Canada, incandescent light bulbs must meet more stringent lumens/watt requirements.

In other words, the bulbs must meet the same amount of lumens (brightness) for less wattage (energy). The changes begin with the 100 watt incandescent light bulb, which must now use no more than 72 watts to produce a comparable brightness. Additional bulbs will be affected over the next several years.

The Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) was signed into law by then-president George W. Bush in 2007. The law provides for a three-year phase out schedule that will start in 2012 with 100 watt light bulbs. The 75 watt light bulb will go away in year two, and the 60 watt and 40 watt light bulbs will go away in year three.

The law also sets minimum standards for general incandescent bulbs, making it necessary for consumers to replace the popular incandescent bulbs with more energy-efficient versions.

“There are several options for more energy-efficient bulbs,” said Joe Rey-Barreau, consulting director of education for the American Lighting Association and an associate professor at the University of Kentucky’s School of Interior Design. “One is the 72-watt halogen-incandescent that is available today, and looks and performs like a standard 100-watt incandescent.”

Rey-Barreau stated in a press release provided by Gross Electric that a 26-watt, medium-base CFL offers the same amount of light as the 100-watt incandescent, but uses one-quarter of the electricity. It will last 10 times longer. If the 100-watt bulb you are replacing is dimmable, Rey-Barreau advises selecting a dimmable version of the 26-watt CFL.
“Peculiar” look, saves money
Even though some customers say CFLs look “peculiar” and are generally more expensive, Ron Gladieux, co-owner of Gladieux Lumber and Supply on Navarre Ave., Oregon, advises purchasing them. He says, so far, people are.

“Anything that can save people money and energy in the long run, they are all for it and looking to do that,” Gladieux said. “The bulbs will last longer. We’ve been selling them for a couple years now, and I think sales are almost 40 percent compact fluorescent.”

Phil Trumbull, owner of True Value Hardware, Water Street, Woodville, said, “Once you explain to people the cost savings, then it starts to make sense and the prices are starting to come down on the CFLs as well.

“We’ve been selling the compact fluorescent bulbs for at least five years now, and over the last two to three years the sales have picked up on those. We currently carry a pretty full line of the compact fluorescents in various shapes and sizes, including the ones that go into recessed fixtures like the cam lights that people have.

CFLs have achieved a level of performance that matches incandescent in color and far exceeds incandescent in energy efficiency, according to Rey-Barreau and Trumbull.

“By and large, the compact fluorescents are available in different color temperatures, so if you like the soft white look instead of the harsh white, you can get it that way. There are other people that prefer the whiter light, and those are also available if you look at the bulbs carefully,” Trumbull said.

Rey-Barreau adds, “Therefore, CFLs are a good choice for replacing incandescent light bulbs in task lighting, table lamps, or ambient lighting fixtures.”

There are still some issues people run into when purchasing the CFLs

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Faster, Cheaper Mercury Test Could Provide Answers for China – MarketWatch

October 06, 2011   nlrgreen   No comments

 

SALT LAKE CITY, Oct 06, 2011 (BUSINESS WIRE) — Mercury pollution is a big problem, and it’s only getting bigger. It is most pronounced in developing countries like China and India, where coal-burning still remains a major resource of power generation. Worldwide, about 1,000 tons of mercury is produced per year. The resulting pollution makes water and soil unusable, and poses substantial health risks to people nearby.

University of Utah researcher Ling Zang hopes to address this growing problem in China and beyond with a new test for detecting mercury. The test promises to be faster and cheaper than conventional tests, which require samples to be sent to a laboratory, can take weeks to process and can cost hundreds of dollars.

“It’s very exciting as a scientist to be able to transfer what you are developing on the bench-top in the lab to the marketplace, and to serve society,” said Zang, who was recruited to the university’s Department of Material Science and Engineering in 2008 by the Utah Science Technology and Research (USTAR) initiative. USTAR is a state office that drives innovation and economic growth by attracting talented researchers to Utah.

“One of the main reasons I decided to move to University of Utah was the level of support for commercialization at this university,” Zang added. “It is essential to have support from the faculty, the administration and the state to increase the impact of new technologies on people’s lives.”

The inspiration for the new mercury test came four years ago, when Zang was reading an article about how mercury binds to DNA, causing irregularity of genetic processing. He identified the strong, specific binding between mercury and the DNA base thymine, and discovered a way to use this binding to measure mercury concentrations.

After years of work, Zang has proven his new test, and he is close to selling it to companies and governments across the world that want to monitor mercury pollution. The test can detect mercury down to 0.20 parts per billion (ppb), which is well below the Environmental Protection Agency’s standard of 2 ppb for drinking water. The cost of running the analysis has yet to be determined, but it is expected to cost a fraction of existing tests.

The new test starts with a liquid solution of a perylene dye, which emits a green fluorescent light. Zang attached the mercury-binding group to the perylene, so when mercury is added, the liquid becomes less fluorescent. The less fluorescent the liquid, the more mercury is present. To measure the fluorescence, Zang uses a custom handheld photodetector, an electronic device that measures light.

Zang is commercializing his test through a startup company called Metallosensors, Inc. The company launched in 2009, and now has the leadership and money needed to refine and market the test. Metallosensors was awarded a $150,000 phase I SBIR (Small Business Innovation Research) grant from the National Science Foundation. Next year, the company will apply for the $500,000 Phase II SBIR. In addition, Metallosensors recently secured a $50,000 VIP (Virtual Incubator Program) grant from the University of Utah.

The CEO of the company is Glenn Prestwich, a veteran entrepreneur — co-founder and chief science officer for five University of Utah startup companies — and Presidential Professor of Medicinal Chemistry at the U.

“Our molecular sensor has enormous potential,” Prestwich said. “In the short term, we are perfecting the underlying chemical test, developing the handheld photodetector with partners in China, establishing a marketing plan in China, and securing intellectual property protection. We are also engaging with Utah’s Mercury Working Group to develop products for monitoring in the United States. In the future, we hope to make the test smarter by adding GPS and real-time graphical displays. This will significantly improve the way we track mercury pollution.”

Metallosensors got an early boost from the Venture Bench program of the University of Utah’s Technology Commercialization Office (TCO). This program helps early-stage university startups such as Metallosensors by creating a temporary management team that allows them to apply for an SBIR grant. Venture Bench also provides marketing materials, including a website and logo.

“Metallosensors is a big success for the Venture Bench program,” said Rajiv Kulkarni, Associate Director at the TCO who has helped Metallosensors through the patent and commercialization process. “The technology is very promising, and the company product line addresses a real need to monitor contamination, especially in developing countries. The portability of the instrument will make it very convenient for field use.”

Learn more about Metallosensors at www.metallosensorsinc.com . Learn more about technology commercialization at the University of Utah at www.techventures.utah.edu .

SOURCE: University of Utah

Faster, Cheaper Mercury Test Could Provide Answers for China – MarketWatch.

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Waste & Recycling News – EPA fines Iowa company for hazardous waste violations

September 27, 2011   nlrgreen   No comments

Sept. 27 — A steel castings facility in Iowa has agreed to pay a $54,786 civil penalty and clean up residual used oil as part of a settlement with the U.S. EPA over violations of federal hazardous waste regulations.

Sivyer Steel Corporation of Bettendorf, Iowa, committed several violations of the federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, including operating a hazardous waste facility without a permit, the EPA said. The agency inspected the facility in March 2010 and noted the violations, including failure to comply with hazardous waste generator requirements.

The company must act within 30 days to show that its used oil containers and universal waste lamp containers are properly maintained and labeled.

via Waste & Recycling News – EPA fines Iowa company for hazardous waste violations.

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Lamp Recycling Handler Size: Small vs. Large

April 05, 2011   nlrgreen   No comments

 

A handler accumulates universal waste (in this case lamps) but do not treat, recycle, or dispose of the waste. Knowing your size under the Universal Waste Rule allows you to know exactly what your requierments are. The EPA cites them as:

The universal waste regulations include requirements for two groups of handlers based on the amount of universal waste accumulated on site at any one time:

-A small quantity handler of universal waste may accumulate less than 11,000 pounds (5,000 kg) of total universal waste, (i.e., batteries, pesticides, mercury thermostats or mercury containing lamps) for periods up to one year.

-A large quantity handler of universal waste is one who accumulates 11,000 pounds (5,000 kg) or more of total universal waste for periods up to one year.

Small quantity handlers must ensure that any universal wastes they are accumulating are managed in a closed container that prevents the release of the universal waste or waste components. Each container must be labeled with the type of universal waste it contains. The small quantity handler may accumulate its universal waste no longer than one year from the date the waste was generated, and must maintain records demonstrating the actual generation date. Additionally, the small quantity handler must ensure all employees handling a universal waste have been provided information on proper handling and emergency procedures appropriate to the types of wastes managed. A small quantity handler must send its universal waste to another universal waste handler, a permitted facility or a foreign destination. Small quantity handlers are not required to use a uniform hazardous waste manifest or keep records of universal waste shipments.  However, it is highly recommended such records be maintained. Universal waste shipments may be transported by a contracted transporter or by the small quantity handler of universal waste.

In general, the requirements for large quantity handlers are more stringent than those of small quantity handlers of universal waste. First, the large quantity handler must receive an EPA Identification Number. Much like the small quantity handler, the universal waste must be accumulated in a closed container labeled with what it contains. Large quantity handlers may not accumulate universal wastes for more than one year and must maintain records demonstrating the date of the universal waste generation. Employees managing universal waste must be trained as to proper waste handling and emergency procedures. Shipments of universal waste from a large quantity handler must be tracked on a manifest, bill of lading, or similar type of document which must be maintained for at least three (3) years.

Get the EPA Guide: Introduction to universal waste

Need more information? Contact NLR

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What is the Universal Waste Rule?

March 29, 2011   admin   No comments

The UWR is designed to reduce the amount of hazardous waste items in the municipal solid waste stream, encourage the recycling and proper disposal of some common hazardous wastes, and reduce the regulatory burden on businesses that generate these wastes. Although handlers of universal waste must meet less stringent standards for storing, transporting, and collecting waste, the waste must comply with full hazardous waste requirements for final recycling, treatment, or disposal.

The UWR implements rules and guidelines for the collection of certain hazardous waste streams in the following categories: Lamps, Batteries, Ballasts, and Mercury Containing Devices.

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