LightRecycle Washington Comes to Jefferson County ~ Mercury vapor is toxic and a component of all fluorescent light tubes, high-intensity discharge (“HID”) area and tanning lights. ~ Computer equipment, rechargeable batteries, fluorescent and HID lamps all contain toxic metals that can harm people and that are persistent pollutants. ~ Disposing of mercury-containing lights in the regular trash has been illegal in Washington since 2013. LightRecycle Washington Comes to Jefferson County * Spent mercury-containing lights are accepted at the Jefferson County’s Recycle Center next to the main waste transfer station off Jacob Miller Road, at the Quilcene drop box site on Highway 101, and at the Hazardous Waste Collection Facility in the Port of Port Townsend’s Boat Haven. ** As of January 1, 2015, businesses and households may dispose of up to 10 mercury-containing lamps per day at no charge with Jefferson County Public Works, a participant in the new statewide LightRecycle Washington program. The new program eliminates fees that businesses had paid Jefferson County when recycling mercury-containing lamps. While residential lamps had been accepted free of charge, recycling costs had been paid from garbage fee revenue. Those costs will now be covered by the LightRecycle Washington industry group, which under Washington State law, assesses a 25 cent environmental handling charge per lamp to all new mercury-containing lights sold at retail. “The seemingly subtle change is notable as another example of industry accepting responsibility for the proper handling of end-of-life products that are hazardous or difficult to manage,” noted Richard Talbot, Jefferson County’s Solid Waste Manager. Other examples of “extended producer responsibility” programs active in Jefferson County include the computer manufacturers’ E-Cycle Washington program that recycles computers, monitors, laptops, televisions, electronic book readers and portable DVD players, as well as the rechargeable battery producers’ Call2Recycle system that provides pre-paid shipping boxes and recycling services. For more information phone Jerry Mingo, Hazardous Waste Coordinator, at 360-385-9160 or visit jeffersoncountysolidwaste/hazardous-waste-households/
Posted on: Sat, 03 Jan 2015 21:39:59 +0000