Mercury Products Recovery In North Carolina

Transcription

1 Mercury Products Recovery In North Carolina 2013 NC-PC Industry Day Mercury 101 Workshop Greensboro, NC Joseph Fitzpatrick

2 Session Points Legislation and How It Affects You Established Public Recycling Programs Commercial Mercury Products Recovery Tools How DEACS Can Help

3 Review of Mercury Waste Legislation Resource Conservation and Recovery Act According to the Subtitle C portion of the RCRA (Code of Federal Regulations, 40 CFR Part ), it is a violation to transport and dispose of certain mercury-containing devices in a municipal solid waste (MSW) facility (i.e., landfill, material recovery facility, waste-to-energy facility or transfer station) Through their knowledge of the waste or by testing the waste, generators must determine whether a waste exhibits any of the four characteristics of hazardous waste

4 Review of Fluorescent Lights Legislation Universal Waste Rule All commercial and industrial generators must follow the Universal Waste Rule: Cannot dispose of hazardous waste in solid waste landfills. Can dispose of fluorescent lights if they demonstrate lights are nonhazardous. This is done by conducting TCLP tests. Does not include associated light fixtures such as ballasts Universal Waste Lamp is defined as the bulb or tube portion of an electric light. Examples include: fluorescent, high intensity discharge, neon, mercury vapor, high-pressure sodium and metal halide lamps

5 Review of Fluorescent Lights Legislation North Carolina Session Law Requirements Recycling of fluorescent lights and mercury thermostats from publically owned buildings constructed or operated with state funds The removal of fluorescent lights and mercury thermostats from structures prior to demolition Bans Disposal of fluorescent lights and mercury thermostats from unlined landfills (regardless of generator status)

6 Legislation Commonality

7 Established Public Recycling Programs Utility: Electrical Cooperatives Retail : Home Depot, Lowe s, Ace Hardware and Batteries Plus Public: Local Government HHW and Stand Alone Programs

8 Stand Alone Collection Programs

9 Stand Alone Program Collected Pounds , , , Started data collection in 2011

10 HHW Collected Hg Materials Since 2010 local government sponsored HHW programs collect over 50,000 pounds of annually

11 Total Public Hg Collection (Pounds) HHW Stand Alone

12 Local Government Programs Currituck County o Collection at 8 convenience sites, county maintenance shop and one public library o Only open to residents o Collected 1,816 pounds FY Person County o Collect at one drop-off location (Person Industries) o Accept lamps and mercury thermostats from residential and commercial sources o Collected 5,336 lamps in 2012 and 6,352 in 2013

13 Local Government Programs Watauga County Collect CFLs at convenience sites Only accepts residential lamps Collected 5,334 CFL in FY up from 594 in Costs covered by Blue Ridge Electrical Cooperative

14 Local Government Programs Buncombe County Program initiated in 2007 Collection at 12 fire stations Accepts residential lamps and ballasts Materials funneled through County s HHW contractor Commercial bulbs accepted at landfill one day/week Program continues to collect over 10,000 pounds annually

15 Commercial Mercury Products Recovery NC Convenience Contract Lowest cost recycling option Can be used by all State agencies and Local Governments Private Industry can use for bench mark prices Markets Directory Searchable database to find vendors

16 Commercial Mercury Products Recovery

17 How DEACS Can Help You Mercury Products Recycling Grant

18 Mercury Products To Target

19 History Mercury Products Recycling Grant NCGS 130A Mercury Pollution Prevention Fund Mercury Switch Program removal of switches in automobiles Expanded program to include other mercury-containing products fluorescent lights and thermostats Provide funding for local governments to recycle mercury products from public

20 Mercury Products Recycling Grant Purpose Expand the number of public recycling sites for fluorescent lights and thermostats Create permanent and accessible recycling options Increase public awareness about the proper disposal and recycling Build a network of across the state

21 Mercury Products Recycling Grant Grant Application Eligibility: all local governments counties, municipalities and solid waste authorities Funding for new stand-alone collection sites and existing HHW programs Does not require any local government matching funds No due date open ended Covers program related costs including service fees

22 Mercury Product Recycling Grant Grant Program Guidelines Set up a collection site(s) for fluorescent lights and thermostats Open to the public at least 5 days per week Stand-alone site or part of an existing HHW Program Convenience centers, landfill, transfer stations, fire stations or public works building Covers costs such as sheds, shipping materials, recycling costs, signs, education, spill kit and other related costs

23 Mercury Product Recycling Grant General Grant Program Requirements Existing fluorescent light recycling program for local government buildings (general services or facilities maintenance) Establish mercury thermostat recycling program New stand-alone programs must use state contractors Existing HHW programs are eligible for reimbursement Create new stand alone collection site Universal Waste Rule

24 Mercury Products Recycling Grant Universal Waste lamps must be packaged per the following: A handler must manage lamps in a way that prevents release of any universal waste or component of universal waste to the environment A handler must contain any lamp in containers or packages that are structurally sound, adequate to prevent breakage, and compatible with the contents of lamps A container or package must be labeled or marked clearly with any one of the following phrases: Universal Waste Lamps or Waste Lamps or Used Lamps Store on site for up to 1 year

25 Mercury Products Recycling Grant

26 Mercury Products Recycling Grant Key Points: Make collection easy and convenient for the public Protect bulbs from breaking Staffed collection sites Consolidate bulbs from public collection efforts with bulbs from local government buildings

27 Thank You For More Information: Division of Environmental Assistance and Customer Service Joe Fitzpatrick, Phone: