Minnesota’s electric utility lamp recycling programs

1. Minnesota’s electric utility lamp recycling programs John Gilkeson, MN PCA Presentation to PSI Lamp Dialogue July 16, 2008

2. History 1992 legislation required agency to consult with stakeholders and report to Legislature on fluorescent lamp management options Agency report recommended disposal prohibition and recycling of all business and household lamps Recycling is least expensive and most environmentally protective option

3. Infrastructure and financing Business sector: put the law/rule in place and we will establish infrastructure and pay for lamp recycling Household/small business sectors: lamp recycling programs & financing needed Electric utilities identified as one option for programs and financing because utilities promote & subsidize use of fluorescents for energy conservation

4. 1993 Legislation-recycling Legislature enacted lamp disposal ban and recycling requirement • Effective 8/1/93 for business lamps • Effective 8/1/94 for household and small business lamps • Legislature requested further study and report on household lamp collection program and financing options

5. 1993 Legislation-utilities Electric utility program/financing option very popular at legislature because it relieved other parties of potential responsibilities. 1993 Legislature enacted 216B.241, subd. 5: • Requires all utilities to promote use and proper management of fluorescent lamps • Requires utilities with 200,000+ retail customers to provide lamp collection and recycling programs to household and small business customers

6. MN utility lamp legislation MN 216B.241 continued: • Allows all other utilities to provide lamp collection and recycling programs to household and small business customers • Allows utilities to contract with local government for programs (HHW programs) • Requires convenient program and financial incentives designed to collect “…maximum number of spent lamps…that is reasonably feasible.”

7. Costs and recovery • All costs can be counted toward Conservation Improvement Program spending requirements • All costs can be recovered through conservation cost recovery charges from household and commercial customers (details vary by regulatory status of utility)

8. Xcel Energy programs Xcel Energy is an investor-owned utility Xcel Energy’s mandated HH lamp program: • County HHW programs (free) • Hardware stores w/50 cent coupons 2007: $129,000 actual expenses;“exceeded participation goal by 144%”(233,000 participants) 2008 and 2009: $162,000 budgeted

9. Xcel Energy programs-2 Xcel Energy’s business lamp program: • Drop-off location, nominal fee, open to any business or non-profit 2007: $21,545 actual expenses(39,380 participants) 2008 and 2009: $29,700 budgeted

10. Great River Energy GRE is a distribution cooperative, not all member cooperatives participate GRE’s HH lamp program (not mandated?): • Hardware stores w/50 cent coupons • 2007: $32,250 program expenses;$5,700 coupon expense; 11,400 lamps • 2008: $51,000 budgeted; ~24,000 lamps • New CFL program with Menard’s

11. Other utilities Other MN electric utilities, municipals, and cooperatives carry out lamp recycling programs under 216B.241 subd. 5. If they are not required to carry out a program they are not required to report program activities or expenditures to the state. Only Xcel and Great River Energy have reported to the state in the last 3 years.

12. Contact information John Gilkeson MN Pollution Control Agency 651-215-0199 john.gilkeson@state.mn.us