Due to its unique properties mercury (a nerve poison) is an essential component in a great number of products such as energy saving fluorescent lamps, highly reliable mercury zinc batteries and even in life saving medical products and old latex based paint. There is as yet no substitute for mercury in many electrical components. Therefore mercury will be with us for many years to come.

All over the world, scientists are still proving that mercury pollutants are becoming an increasing problem. Although mercury is toxic, its most poisonous form is methyl mercury, which results from a chemical modification by bacteria. A new study has found that landfill disposal of such products can chemically alter the mercury rendering it even more toxic and speeding its release into the air. The necessity of ensuring that mercury does not enter the waste stream through landfill is now even more important but mercury discharges are continuing to contaminate forests and waters on a world-wide scale resulting in severe damages to our eco system. The mercury from just one fluorescent tube would contaminate 30,000 litres of water beyond safe limits.

As a result of stricter regulations governing the handling of mercurial waste, landfill and incineration are no longer viable options. In order to minimise existing mercury volumes in our environment, the recycling option – recovering the mercury – is generally considered to be the best, being the most environmentally sound solution to the problem. The argument for this is further strengthened by the fact that well proven technology is already in existence and more emphasis on all aspects of recycling is being driven by the need to decrease amounts of waste disposal.

Accreditations such as ISO 14001 and EMAS together with company environmental statements are changing the methods used for disposal. Tighter waste management regulations, waste packaging regulations, reduction of landfill sites and taxation are making the landfill option more expensive. European directives are ensuring public sector projects for domestic and commercial recycling initiatives are increased to meet stringent targets for the forthcoming year.

Using the RecycledWaste.com Lamp Recycling Service not only ensures the recovery of mercury, but also the glass, aluminium and steel content of spent lamps are rendered for re-use in the lighting industry achieving an 85% energy saving compared to the production of a tube from virgin raw materials.