Universal Waste
Mercury containing devices, i.e., fluorescent lamps, thermometers, mercury switches, batteries, must be safely recycled per the EPA’s Universal Waste and Mercury Reduction Regulations. Universal waste regulations streamline collection requirements for certain hazardous wastes. Most businesses have universal wastes in the following categories:
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Batteries: such as nickel-cadmium (Ni-Cd) and small sealed lead-acid batteries, which are found in many common items in the business including electronic equipment, mobile telephones, portable computers, and emergency backup lighting. Batteries should be separated by type (Ni-Cd, Alkaline, etc). |
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Mercury-containing thermostats: which are located in almost any building, including commercial, industrial, agricultural, community, and household buildings. |
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Lamps: which are the bulb or tube portion of electric lighting devices. Examples include fluorescent lights, high intensity discharge, neon, mercury vapor, high pressure sodium, and metal halide lamps. |
ZWS arranges for transportation of universal wastes to a facility where the materials can be safely recycled and handled per relevant regulations.
Recycling mercury-containing products keeps mercury out of the waste stream where it could be released into the environment and contributes to serious health hazards. According to a 2004 EPA analysis, 630,000 of the 4 million American babies born each year are at risk of impaired motor function, learning disabilities, memory and vision due to the high levels of mercury in their bloodstream. 