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Effective Practices in Recycling Mercury-Containing Products: Lessons from the TRC Program

This document outlines the TRC Recycling Program's success in managing mercury-containing products, specifically thermostats. Key factors relevant to TRC are discussed, including the cost-efficient establishment of the program utilizing the universal waste rule and the involvement of major manufacturers like Honeywell and GE. It contrasts approaches in the battery and lamp industries, highlights the environmental challenges of disposing of hazardous substances, and presents the program’s outreach efforts and the significant quantities of mercury recovered.

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Effective Practices in Recycling Mercury-Containing Products: Lessons from the TRC Program

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  1. Shared Responsibility in the Electrical Sector Ric Erdheim Senior Manager – NEMA Executive Director – TRC November, 2002

  2. Outline • Describe TRC Recycling Program • Discuss Factors Applicable to TRC • Compare Battery and Lamp Industry Approaches • Recommend Criteria to Consider

  3. TRC Program – Why? • Concern about spent product disposal • 2.8 grams/switch, 1.4 switches/thermostat • Cannot reduce mercury in mercury switch thermostats • Non mercury thermostats can have disadvantages (energy efficiency, retrofitability, cost, durability, inappropriate for visually impaired and handicapped.)

  4. TRC Program – How? • Established cost-efficient program utilizing universal waste rule. • Three major manufacturers; • Honeywell, • White-Rodgers, • GE • Companies pay transportation and mercury recovery costs • TRC losses money – mercury has no value

  5. TRC Program – How? • TRC signs up HVAC (not electrical) wholesalers • Most thermostats sold through HVAC wholesalers, not retailers • One-time $15 fee per container • Receive TRC container (1X1X2 feet) • Brings in business.

  6. TRC Program – How? • List at www.nema.org/trcTRC • Free to contractors who install • When filled (50-100 stats) wholesaler ships container at TRC expense to clipping facility • Clipped ampuoles sent to Bethlehem Apparatus for mercury recovery

  7. TRC Program – How? • Letters to wholesalers and contractors • Twice/year Press releases published in trade press and information to states • Contact with NHRAW and ACCA HQ and local chapters • Contractor flier – Available on Website • Contractor requests to wholesalers

  8. TRC Program – How? • State and local government efforts – recovery greatest in states with aggressive efforts (Education, RCRA Enforcement, HHW Outreach, Container Placement, Pledge Program) • Incinerator Companies

  9. TRC Program – Results • 1/98-7/1/02 results (processed by TRC): • > 150,000 thermostats • > 1,300 pounds of mercury • 1,000 store participate

  10. NATIONAL COLLECTIONS

  11. PROGRAM LESSONS • Products vastly different: • Units Sold • Size • Fragility • Level of Hazardous Substance • Distribution Channel and Users (homeowners, businesses, specialized installers) • Availability and Attributes of Alternatives

  12. PROGRAM LESSONS • TRC program works because; • T stats contain grams/mercury (500-1000 times > CFLs or button batteries • Number sold • Economies from using existing limited distribution system • Contractors install • Small, sturdy & wholesalers properly handle

  13. BATTERY AND LAMP INDUSTRY APPROACH • Battery industry focused on source reduction. • Collection only where makes sense – RBRC rechargeable battery collection. • Lamp industry involved in both source reduction and recycling promotion for businesses.

  14. BUTTON BATTERIES • Button cells used in hearing aids, digital thermometers, insulin pumps, portable medical monitors, hospital pagers, watches, toys, and calculators • Button batteries sold in US annually contain 2 tons

  15. BUTTON BATTERIES • Disposal ban and collection not cost-effective. • According to analysis by Chittenden co. Vermont solid waste mgmt district, batteries and residential lamps are least cost-effective products to recover. • Need to recover 57,000 average hearing aid batteries to recover one pound of mercury

  16. LAMPS • 27 tons mercury in 1990 lamps • 9 tons mercury in 2001 lamps • 54,500 2001 average four foot lamps contain 1 pound mercury. • 113,000 CFLs contain 1 pound hg. • Use of mercury containing lamps reduces mercury in the environment.

  17. Lifetime Mercury Emissions * KEY Milligrams of Mercury CONCLUSIONS • Hg from lamp disposal is small compared to Hg released from power generation required to operate lamp • Incandescent lamps contain no mercury but result in the highest Hg emissions Magnetic TCLP FailingRecycled ElectronicTCLP CompliantIncinerated Equivalent Light Output ElectronicTCLP Compliant Recycled *Based on 20K burning hours, Hg content of 23 mg per T12 lamp, and 8 mg per T8 lamp. Hg content of fuels is the US weighted average for fossil and non-fossil fuels, calculated from “Environmental and Health Aspects of Lighting: Mercury” J.IES 1994. Disposal emissions assume 3% in residuals of recycling, 90% from incinerators.

  18. LAMPS • Lamp recycling has increased: • 1997 75 million • 2000 130 million • NEMA estimate 21-26% recycling rate • Existing infrastructure • Manufacturer collection mandate interferes with existing infrastructure and adds costs to preferable lighting source • 85% of lamps used by businesses

  19. LAMPS – OUTREACH • The internet (e.g., www.lamprecycle.org and www.almr.org)*. • Sponsored respectively by NEMA Lamp Manufacturers and Lamp Recyclers • Contains State and Federal rules • Lists Lamp Recyclers • Recommends recycling • EPA Recycling Outreach • $2 Million appropriation • $750K to ALMR, NEMA and SWANA

  20. SUMMARY • Different products have different attributes leading to different approaches. • Is recovery of product important because of volume or toxicity and is it worth the resources? • The market place is complex made up of competitors with different agendas using numerous product distribution paths. • What is the most cost-effective collection? • Is product distribution system available for collection? • Who are users (business vs. homeowner)? • If homeowner how do you make it convenient? • Does the spent product have value?

  21. SUMMARY • What education is available to users? • What roles should various participants play (consumers, retailers, wholesalers, governments, manufacturers, recyclers)?

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