Many businesses aren’t aware that it is illegal to throw fluorescent lamps into a garbage can or dumpster. Other companies are aware but find it difficult to sort through complex environmental regulations to determine what they need to do. New Pig, the leading brand for helping facilities maintain safe, compliant workplace environments has introduced the PIG Lamp Recycling Program, a mail-back package with everything required to safely and properly collect, ship, and recycle spent bulb waste, prevent landfilling and releases of mercury into the environment, and stay in compliance with Universal Waste Regulations.

The program’s packaging meets stringent requirements of the International Safety Transit Association’s (ISTA) 3A Standard Shipping Performance Test to ensure no hazardous materials, including mercury powder, or broken glass can escape during shipping. This performance-tested system helps protect all key stakeholders within the supply chain -- generator, transporter and recycling company. In addition, the program includes a downloadable Certificate of Destruction to demonstrate compliance with Hazardous Waste Regulations during EPA audits.

Ideal for small to mid-sized generators of fluorescent bulb waste, this hassle-free, program provides everything needed for safe recycling:

• Easy-to-use mail-back program safely recycles up to (32) T12 or (74) T8 4-foot lamps
• Collection and shipping containers with prepaid UPS shipping labels to the recycling partner
• Tyvek and vapor-seal bonded bag with self-adhesive seal contains lamps, tubes and haz-waste if breakage should occur during shipping
• Outer shipping box with multi-layered cardboard contains the sealed inner box, providing strength for shipment to recycling center
• Reinforced packing tape
• Access to customer’s certificate of destruction upon completion of lamp recycling

“A while back we did a customer survey and found that many of our customers didn’t understand the requirements of managing fluorescent bulbs,” said Scott John, New Pig product manager. “Our team worked together to design a program to help them properly manage this common universal waste stream. It’s a simple package for storing and shipping spent lighting, continued John. “This program offers businesses a safer and easier way to manage fluorescent bulb waste more effectively, reduce waste disposal costs and avoid costly fines associated with throwing out bulbs in regular trash.”

Facilities have a choice when it comes to managing their fluorescent light waste. They can manage it as a universal waste and recycle the lights, or they can dispose of their lights as a fully regulated Resource Conservation Recovery Act (RCRA) hazardous waste. One option that is not permissible is tossing the lamps into a dumpster. The EPA can levy fines up to $93,500 per lamp when they discover them in a dumpster or garbage can.

Click here or call 1-855-493-HOGS (4647) to find out more about PIG Lamp Recycling Program and other lamp recycling products.