MERCURY-CONTAININGLAMP &RECYCLING GUIDEDe l i ver ing you the l a testbus iness so lut ions

Table of ContentsWho We Are

AboutMoney's Worth

How We Do ItThe Recycling Process

Mercury-Containing BulbsTypes of BulbsMercury ImpactsFluorescent LampsHigh Intensity Discharge LampsOther Lamps

Alternatives, Recycling & Circular Economy

Bulb Safety: I Broke a Bulb

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WHO WE ARE

Take Back the Light is managed by Recycling Council of Ontario (RCO), anot-for-profit membership-based organization committed to minimizingsociety’s impact on the environment by eliminating waste. RCO’s mission is toinform and educate all members of society about the avoidance of waste,efficient use of resources, and the benefits and/or consequences of theseactivities. Take Back the Light is an extension of RCO's commitment toReduce, Reuse, Recycle, and uses the market to drive the efficient use ofresources and advance the circular economy. With Take Back the Light'sbusiness model and partner network, post-consumed materials areintegrated back into use and production cycles.

About

Take Back the Light advocates for using procurement to drive circularity inthe marketplace. By requiring suppliers and contractors to provide value-added services such as light bulb recycling, clients demand more than thelowest price, and as a result, businesses evolve. Working with Take Back theLight shows customers that they care by ensuring all spent light bulbcomponents are funneled back into the production line and not lost todisposal. Participating in this program demonstrates value alignment withTake Back the Light, and a commitment to innovative business models thatadvance the circular economy with clients that want it done right.

Money's worth

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Take Back the Light exclusively workswith processors that adhere to thehighest recycling standards. Our criteriaaims to ensure all lamps generated by ourparticipants are recovered and handled ina way that minimizes environmentalimpacts under strict health and safetyprocedures. A common method for bulb recycling usesa drum top crusher, which simply reducesbulb volume without capturing mercury.Take Back the Light requires processorsto be equipped to safely extract andcollect mercury. In doing so, 98% of eachindividual lamp is recovered. Bulbs areseparated into their individualcomponents, which are cleaned andseparated for re-use. Take Back the Light standards are basedon best industry and environmentallysound management practices formercury-containing lamp recyclingdeveloped by international bodies such asthe Organization of Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) andthe Bureau of International Recycling(BIR). With proper recycling, no additionalresources need to be mined for bulbcomponents, which encourages greaterresource recovery and efficiency, anddrives markets for recycled material.

The Recycling Process

HOW WE DO IT

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Fluorescent bulbs and tubes, which includes compact fluorescent lights(CFLs)High intensity discharge bulbs (HIDs), which includesmercury vapour bulbs, metal halide and high-pressure sodium bulbs usedfor streetlights, floodlights, parking lots and industrial lightingNeon or argon lamps commonly used for electric signage

Mercury containing light bulbs include:

Types of Bulbs

MERCURY-CONTAININGBULBS

Why are fluorescent lights popular? They are longer lasting, significantly brighter, and require less energythan incandescent lights. The mercury contributes to a bulbs'efficient operation and life expectancy. While each bulb contains between 3.5 and 15 milligrams of mercury,there are implications associated with large amount of unrecycledand improperly-disposed of lamps.

Mercury and mercury-containing compounds are toxic to human health,wildlife, plants, and micro-organisms. It persists indefinitely in various formsin the environment. Organic compounds of mercury are accumulated bycertain species in aquatic environments. Even low levels of mercury can buildup to high concentrations in the tissues of insects, fish, and birds. Itspersistent nature means that it can be transported and have environmentaleffects globally. The World Health Organization (WHO) lists mercury as one of the top tenchemicals of public health concern. Mercury can be toxic to humans,damaging the nervous, immune, and digestive system, as well as lungs, eyes,skin, and kidneys.

Mercury Impacts

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MERCURY-CONTAININGBULBS:

FLUORESCENT LAMPS

CFLs are an energy efficient alternative to thetraditional incandescent bulb. While CFLs containmercury, they do contribute to reducing overall mercurypollution because they require less energy to operatethan their predecessors. This reduces strain on powergeneration plants, that rely on coal and release mercuryemissions. However, this means that mercury-containinglights must be recycled at their end of life. When fluorescent bulbs or tubes are deposited intolandfills they increase the risk of contained mercuryleaching into the environment. As a persistentcompound, this poses a threat to water, soil, wildlife,and human health. Through Take Back the Light, 98% of the componentsof mercury-containing bulbs and tubes are entirelyrecyclable, which also leads to using significantly lessenergy to reuse metals and glass rather than processingvirgin metals or mining for silica.

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MERCURY-CONTAININGBULBS:

HIGH INTENSITY

DISCHARGE LAMPS

Mercury vapour bulbs are gas discharge lamps that use an electric arcthrough vapourized mercury to produce light. Used in street andlandscape lighting, they enhance foliage but do not render human skintones well, which makes them ineffective for indoor applications.

Metal halide bulbs are used for general lighting purposes both indoorsand outdoors: parking lots; sports arenas; factories, and retail stores;residential security lighting; and indoor growing activities.

High and low pressure sodium bulbs are used in outdoor lighting orwarehousing areas where colour rendering is not critical. They areenergy efficient but rarely used due to a yellow shade that distortsthe colour of objects beneath them to yellow or yellow-grey.

Xenon short arc bulbs have a bluish-white spectrum and extremelyhigh UV output. These lamps are used primarily forUV curing applications, sterilizing objects, microscope lighting,searchlights, and film production lighting.

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MERCURY-CONTAININGBULBS:

OTHER LAMPS

The classic neon lamp is made of a glass tube that containsa mixture of neon and argon gas. The term 'neon sign'describes Cold Cathode Fluorescent Lamps (CCFL) of allcolours, but they may use helium, xenon, or other Nobelgases. Today most other colours work by using mercuryvapour. These gas combinations display the followingcolours:Clear Red - NeonOpaque Red - Neon with Red PhosphorBlue/Green/Yellow - Argon with Mercury & ColouredPhosphorPinkish/White - Helium in a clear tube or Mercury withWhite Phosphor

Hospitals use ultraviolet (UV) lamps to sterilizesurgical equipment. Food and drug companies also useUV lamps to sterilize their products. U-tube lamps arefluorescent tubes bent into a U-shape. They sharesimilar base types and both use low pressure mercuryarc technology. They both have hot cathode and coldcathode lamp types and produce the same ultravioletradiation inside the bulb. What’s the difference?The fluorescent bulb is coatedon the inside with a phosphor, which converts UV tovisible light. The germicidal bulb is clear and it is madeof special glass which transmits the UV waves.

UV & U-Tube Lamps

Neon Lamps

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ALTERNATIVES,RECYCLING & CIRCULAR

ECONOMY

Light emitting diodes (LEDs) are an excellentalternative to mercury-containing lamps. They use75% less energy than incandescents and last 25times longer. LEDs are more costly up front,however, will have to be purchased with lessfrequency over time. They do they not require anyspecial adaptors or specific cleanup protocolswhen broken. While LEDs cannot replace alllighting in industry activities, retrofitting wherepossible, and recycling alternative bulbs wherethey can't are recommended.

Take (resources)Make (things) and Dispose (when they are no longeruseful)

The circular economy is a system thatdesigns waste out of a product's lifecycle. It is inherently regenerative and cyclical,and contrasts the historical linearconsumption model:

With Take Back the Light's procurementpathway, spent bulbs are kept in thesystem and minimize waste. This meansmore materials are recovered and kept inthe manufacturing stream, human andenvironmental health is protected, andbusiness models are improved

What is the CircularEconomy?

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BULB SAFETY:

I BROKE A BULBWhat do I do?

CFL or Other Mercury-Containing Bulbs:

Air out the room Find a sealable container Pick up the larger pieces, and use tape forthe smaller bits and powder Wipe the floor with a damp paper towel Put everything into the sealable container

Bring to a recycling facility

The same steps apply to non-mercury- containing bulbs. The differenceis they do not contain toxins as definedby law. Since they are made with non-toxicmaterials they are able to be taken awaywith your regular trash.

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