for MERCURY LIGHTS & CARPET Kara J. Steward Waste 2 Resources Ecology

More efficient Longer lasting Lower power demand Cheaper than LED Incandescent phase out Dont throw them in the trash!

Source: NEWMOA at

CFL contains 3-5 mg of mercury Estimated 300 million CFLs sold in US each year = 1,500 kg mercury (= 1.6 tons) Mercury from one broken CFL Releases 200–800 μg/m 3 mercury Contaminate 1,000 gallons of water

Dont throw mercury lights in the trash!!!! Local government collection MRW, HHW State agencies recycle Gov Locke Executive Order responsible purchasing Take back programs Retailers ( Home Depot, Lowes, Ace, McLendons, Bartells) Utilities (PSE and PUDs) Curbside collection (Kent/Shoreline) Producer mail back

Stewardship Program Producers = sell in or into WA Finance the program, including Collection Transportation Recycling Public education Fund Ecology oversight Program starts January 2013 Disposal Ban Jan 2013 RCW

Stewardship Program Residential lights only Homes, small businesses Convenient collection Every county Every city >10,000 No charge for drop off Limited to 15 lights in 90 days Other options Mail-back program Curbside collection (Shoreline, Kent) RCW

Collect producer fees Write guidelines for plan content Approve Producer Plans Register collectors, curbside & mail- back programs Work with stakeholders (thats you!) Get the word out: websites, newsletters, meetings, presentations

Register for the Listserv Public Recyclers Retailers Utilities You will receive updates on program progress and opportunities to participate! Collectors Government Haulers Producers

Nationally 27 million tons disposed annually (1.2% of MSW) Recycling rate is 3% (2009) Washington 145,000 tons disposed annually (3.2% of MSW) 7 th most prevalent item in waste stream (by weight ) Recycling rate is 2% (2009)

2002 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) 22 States and Carpet Industry Diversion goal of 40% Actual recycling rate to date: 3%

Led by Seattle Public Utilities & King County Multi-stakeholder process to increase carpet recycling in the region Strategy document points to product stewardship Environmental impact study Recycling preferred choice Reduces GHG emissions US carpet recyclers

California Assembly Bill 2398 Signed into law Sept 2010 First and only in the country Supported by the carpet industry Program in place Jan 2012

Senate Bill 5110 Introduced by Senator Kohl-Welles Original draft based on CAs law Required carpet manufacturers fund a statewide recycling program Introduced 2011 Reintroduce in 2012

Bill required Producers to: Collect, transport, and recycle carpet at no cost to carpet installers, and with no fee at point of collection Provide education and outreach Ecology to: Review producer plan(s) Provide oversight/enforcement Carpet retailers to: Only sell compliant product

Continued negotiations on National Carpet MOU Track the California implementation Work with stakeholders WA Legislation in 2012

Ecology Contacts: Mercury Lights More information: Carpet