Instruction Program for Handlers of Universal Wastes:

[Spent Mercury Bearing Lamps, Broken Mercury Bearing Lamps, Spent Metal Halide Lamps, Mercury Containing Devices including Thermostats to be managed under 310 CMR 30.1035.]

Light bulbs to be managed as Universal Waste includes:
All fluorescent bulbs, regardless of length, shape, color temperature, plug-in vs. screw-in, or green end caps. 
All Metal Halide bulbs used in outdoor and gymnasium lighting.
 
Not covered: do not contain Mercury and can be disposed in the regular trash.
Incandescent light bulbs of any shape.
Halogen bulbs of any shape such as tubular or screw-in. 
 

Procedures for handling broken bulbs: 

  • If the break just happened; avoid breathing vapors by leaving the room for fifteen minutes, cross-ventilating the area, or otherwise reducing the vapor concentration. 
  • Scoop up the glass and powder with stiff paper or wet paper towels and place the debris and the clean up materials in the BROKEN BULB container at the AHLC.
  • Do not vacuum or use reusable brooms or dustpans.  This will spread the mercury around during later usage.

 Procedures for handling liquid mercury from thermostats or other devices:

  • Cross-ventilate the area where the spill occurred.
  • Pick up the mercury with a medicine dropper (by pushing the smaller drops together into larger ones) or with a mercury absorbing pad or powder available in Sleith 119E or Herman 202.
  • Place the material into a plastic container with a tight fitting cap.
  • Avoid contact with skin.
  • Do not use brooms or vacuum cleaners.  This will only spread mercury into the air during later use.
  • Label the container and have it moved to a Hazardous Waste Accumulation Cabinet. (Call the Chemistry Stockroom Manager at 1318 or the E&SC Manager at 1634. 

 

Handling:  

When removed from service, lamps should be protected from breakage and brought, at the first opportunity, to the used bulb storage area is located in the basement of the AHLC.  Facilities Management personnel should place the bulbs into the plastic containers or fiber drums labeled for each type of bulb.   All broken bulbs should be placed in the BROKEN BULB steel drum.  Open the lid of this drum as briefly as possible and be certain to reapply the lid clamp when completed.  Sorting the bulbs into the correct container is not as important as putting the lid back on the container.  Keeping these containers closed except when placing additional items inside is a specific requirement of the regulations.  The College’s Environmental and Safety Compliance Manager will inspect the storage area weekly, apply labels, and will pack the bulbs into shipping cartons as needed. 

 

Labeling: 

All containers of Universal Waste will be labeled with:

1.        the date that the first waste was placed into the container (accumulation start date), and

2.        “Universal Waste –Spent Fluorescent Bulbs” for all fluorescent bulbs,

           “Universal Waste – Spent Metal Halide Bulbs” for metal halide lamps,

           “Universal Waste – Mercury containing Devices” for thermostats and other mercury containing devices.

Time Limits: 

All Universal Waste will be removed no longer than one year from the accumulation start date. 

 

NOTE: PCB containing light ballasts and recyclable batteries containing heavy metals are also stored in this area. 

For additional information contact the Environmental & Safety Compliance Manager at, Extension 1634.

ESC, Rev. 28 SEPT 2006