Few people think that when energy-saving lamps are thrown into the trash, the environment is polluted with a toxic, dangerous substance. There are special collection points for used lamps that properly dispose of these dangerous products. It is important to remember that every time we discard such lamps incorrectly, we pollute the ecosystem and put our health at serious risk.
Why is recycling energy-saving lamps so important?
Energy-saving lamps contain mercury, an extremely dangerous radioactive substance classified as hazard class 1.
Mercury vapor affects cells of the nervous system. In addition, they are poorly excreted from the body. Many people do not know what to do with such products after their service life and throw them in the trash. Sooner or later the glass flask will break. And the harmful metal will come out. As a result, the soil, water, and atmosphere will be polluted. That is why housekeepers must be specially disposed of.
What are energy-saving lamps made of?
Any lamp consists of a base, a bulb and a ballast. The base can be varied and have different markings. The flask can be of different shapes. In the form of a spiral, arc, ball, candle, pear. A phosphor is applied to the inner surface of the flask or tube, which glows under the influence of ultraviolet radiation. Ultraviolet light is created by mercury. Also inside the flask contains an inert gas, usually argon.
The cartridge contains a ballast, which includes a board. There is a diode bridge on the board. It rectifies the voltage of 220 V. The rectified voltage goes to the generator, which converts the voltage and makes it higher. Housekeepers have a high work rate of around 12,000–15,000 hours. And with a smooth start, their burnout occurs less frequently.
Mercury inside a lamp is dangerous for all living beingsThe ballast is used to ignite the light bulb and maintain its even burning, without flickering. Housekeepers burn out less than incandescent light bulbs. They also have a higher energy saving rate. Accordingly, their price is higher than that of ordinary ones. LED lamps are similar in performance and also rarely burn out.
What are the dangers of energy-saving lamps for humans and the environment?
ESL can cause blurred vision and even blindness. They put many times more strain on the eye than a conventional incandescent lamp. This applies to children's eyes with immature retinas. In addition, regardless of power, they emit harmful radio frequency electromagnetic radiation. This especially applies to lamps such as sconces, floor lamps, table lamps, night lamps, where there is close contact with radiation.
However, it won’t be so bad if you take some precautions when using housekeepers:
- Buy CFLs (compact fluorescent lamps) only of high quality, from a trusted company or brand.
- When screwing in, do not hold the bulb by the bulb. Otherwise, the tightness will be broken.
- Flickering light bulbs should be changed as they are also harmful.
Consequences of improper disposal
Improper disposal has irreversible consequences for environmental systems. . If this metal enters a body of water, then under the influence of microorganisms and dissolution it turns into methylmercury, an even more toxic substance. Methylmercury interacts more effectively with body systems.
Results of discharge with household waste ATTENTION! If a lamp is damaged in a room, mercury vapor is released, which can cause poisoning and subsequently affect the body systems: nervous, gastrointestinal tract, kidneys, etc.
Over time, broken lamps accumulate in landfills, which can pollute a wide area. Therefore, it is very important to properly dispose of mercury-containing products.
Where are used products disposed of?
Burnt out light bulbs must be subject to special recycling at enterprises. There, the products are disassembled into their constituent components. The toxic part is filled with cement and sent to special burial places. Used products can be returned:
- In housing offices and REUs.
- IKEA store. In these stores you can see special containers where you can throw away housekeepers.
- In some cities you can also see special trash cans on the street, usually orange, to collect such garbage from the population.
- Industrial companies servicing electrical networks or lighting. Such companies cooperate with toxic waste disposal companies, so they can accept such waste.
- Courier companies collecting burnt-out housekeepers.
- Collection point for used batteries.
- A full-time electrician can also accept burnt-out products.
Reception points for retired personnel Rules for storing light bulbs
The Russian government has developed rules for storing energy-saving lamps. They are stored, collected and transported by specialized companies. Packaging is carried out in special rooms, which must be spacious, well ventilated, equipped with all protective equipment to remove mercury and prevent damage to the packaging. The main thing is not to damage the integrity of the flask, which contains mercury. During transportation, used products can be stored in packaging from new lamps. They are transported as dangerous cargo. Housekeepers are sorted according to size.
Broken and unbroken products are not stored together. Storage areas may have a high content of mercury vapor, so automatic mercury vapor gas analyzers are installed here. Lamp storage areas should not be overcrowded.
Storage in a cardboard box Disposal rules
There are also recycling rules developed by the Russian government. The rules require that mercury-containing waste materials be collected separately from other waste. Self-transportation, neutralization and burying of housekeepers in the ground is prohibited.
As waste accumulates to the established norm, waste raw materials are sent for demercurization to specialized companies (under a concluded agreement). Devices, materials, special clothing, and personal protective equipment used for demercurization are placed in a special sealed container or bag. This bag is then placed in a sealed, impact-resistant container and locked. Further, the container is also packed in a sealed container method.
Recycling process, necessary equipment
Harmful light bulbs are disposed of in several ways:
- Mechanical.
- Mechanical-chemical.
With these methods, mercury is exposed to cement dust at high temperatures for 12 hours. This reaction produces a harmless precipitate that is insoluble and can be disposed of.
- Thermal.
- Thermal vacuum with cryocondensation.
Factory disposal procedure Thermal method. Housekeepers folded in airtight containers are stored until they are destroyed. Next, freed from packaging, they are placed in an oven, where they are heated to 400 °C. As a result, mercury turns into gas and is removed by exhaustion.
- Thermal vacuum method with cryocondensation.
The technology of this method is as follows. Mercury-containing housekeepers are broken with a knife in a special chamber. Next, there is heating to 450 °C with air pumping. Mercury gas is collected in a special trap, then it is cooled with liquid nitrogen. When recycling, vibro-pneumatic installations “Ekotrom-2” are used. These are devices that have high rates of mercury vapor capture.
What should companies and firms do?
Enterprises use a huge number of mercury-containing lamps (up to tens of thousands). Therefore, such companies have administrative responsibility for their disposal. And in case of repeated violation, there is criminal liability. To avoid negative consequences, companies must hand over waste of this class to special points.
Moscow has become one of the most environmentally friendly regions of Russia. And Muscovites can help her maintain this status. Read and watch how to sort your garbage yourself and where to dispose of hazardous waste on the Moscow 24 portal.
Recycling in Butovo
The fashion for separate waste collection has come to Russia quite recently: multi-colored trash cans for different types of waste are just beginning to appear on the streets. In the regions, not everyone knows and understands how it works and why it is important to sort it.
In Moscow, more attention is paid to this issue. This is also why the capital was in 7th place in the environmental rating of the country’s regions in the summer of 2017. It was published by the all-Russian public organization "Green Patrol".
For example, residents of the Northern and Southern Butovo districts united and created the “Our Butovo” community. Its active participants organize campaigns for separate waste collection and hold meetings with well-known environmental activists. In addition, neighbors help each other in everyday matters, inform each other about lost or found things, and simply share local news.
Where to take hazardous waste
If you care about the planet, you've probably encountered the fact that collection points for various types of waste are not so easy to find.
In 2015, Moscow authorities launched a map with the location of places where you can donate light bulbs, batteries, plastic and waste paper.
Light bulbs
Fluorescent lamps contain toxic chemicals. IKEA, for example, offers recycling services for light bulbs purchased in stores. You can also bring light bulbs to one of the Globus supermarkets or to the Kuskovo eco-school, an interactive environmental education center that deals with ecology and environmental protection issues.
LED bulbs are safe and can be recycled just like incandescent bulbs - pay attention to the packaging.
Photo: TASS/DPA/Julian Stratenschulte
Technology and electronics
Is your computer or landline phone broken? There is no need to take them to a landfill: this waste contains hazardous substances - mercury, lead, cadmium, beryllium, not to mention such valuable metals as gold, silver and platinum.
It is better to find an electronics recycling organization and even receive a symbolic monetary reward for this.
For more information on what to do with old or broken equipment, see the Moscow 24 portal.
Glass
The collection of unnecessary glass containers is carried out by the Ecoline company. Throughout Moscow you can find containers or offices of the organization. Glass bottles can also be brought to one of the collection points by activists - in the districts of Strogino, Ramenki, Nagorny, Brateevo and Tushino.
Moscow has become one of the most environmentally friendly regions of Russia. And Muscovites can help her maintain this status. Read and watch how to sort your garbage yourself and where to dispose of hazardous waste on the Moscow 24 portal.
Recycling in Butovo
The fashion for separate waste collection has come to Russia quite recently: multi-colored trash cans for different types of waste are just beginning to appear on the streets. In the regions, not everyone knows and understands how it works and why it is important to sort it.
In Moscow, more attention is paid to this issue. This is also why the capital was in 7th place in the environmental rating of the country’s regions in the summer of 2017. It was published by the all-Russian public organization "Green Patrol".
For example, residents of the Northern and Southern Butovo districts united and created the “Our Butovo” community. Its active participants organize campaigns for separate waste collection and hold meetings with well-known environmental activists. In addition, neighbors help each other in everyday matters, inform each other about lost or found things, and simply share local news.
Where to take hazardous waste
If you care about the planet, you've probably encountered the fact that collection points for various types of waste are not so easy to find.
In 2015, Moscow authorities launched a map with the location of places where you can donate light bulbs, batteries, plastic and waste paper.
Light bulbs
Fluorescent lamps contain toxic chemicals. IKEA, for example, offers recycling services for light bulbs purchased in stores. You can also bring light bulbs to one of the Globus supermarkets or to the Kuskovo eco-school, an interactive environmental education center that deals with ecology and environmental protection issues.
LED bulbs are safe and can be recycled just like incandescent bulbs - pay attention to the packaging.
Photo: TASS/DPA/Julian Stratenschulte
Technology and electronics
Is your computer or landline phone broken? There is no need to take them to a landfill: this waste contains hazardous substances - mercury, lead, cadmium, beryllium, not to mention such valuable metals as gold, silver and platinum.
It is better to find an electronics recycling organization and even receive a symbolic monetary reward for this.
For more information on what to do with old or broken equipment, see the Moscow 24 portal.
Glass
The collection of unnecessary glass containers is carried out by the Ecoline company. Throughout Moscow you can find containers or offices of the organization. Glass bottles can also be brought to one of the collection points by activists - in the districts of Strogino, Ramenki, Nagorny, Brateevo and Tushino.
The data set provides information about organizations engaged in the collection of waste energy-saving lamps, indicating the administrative district, district, address of the collection site, work schedule and coordinates.
Based on the order of the Moscow Government dated May 19, 2010. No. 949-RP “On the organization of work on the centralized collection, transportation and processing of waste mercury-containing fluorescent and compact fluorescent lamps”, a centralized system for the collection, transportation, neutralization and recycling of waste mercury-containing fluorescent and compact fluorescent lamps has been created in the city of Moscow.
The centralized system is financed from the budget of the city of Moscow.
The collection, transportation, neutralization and recycling of used mercury-containing lamps is carried out by a specialized organization that has the appropriate licenses for the management of hazard class 1 waste on the basis of a government contract concluded following an open auction in electronic form.
The accumulation of used mercury-containing lamps, including their acceptance from the population, is carried out by management companies: State Budgetary Institution Housing Development Districts, housing cooperatives, homeowners' associations, LLCs, etc. GU IS districts do not accumulate waste mercury-containing lamps within the framework of a centralized system.
The list of Management Companies included in the above centralized system is determined annually on the basis of applications from the prefectures of the administrative districts of Moscow. Management companies that are not included in the centralized system manage hazardous waste at their own expense.
Under the terms of the state contract, the Contractor provides the Management Companies with special containers (containers) for the accumulation of used mercury-containing lamps and demercurization kits in case of damage to used mercury-containing lamps.
Control over the Contractor is exercised by the State Customer GKU "Mosekoprom" (a specialized government agency), as well as structural divisions of Rospotrebnadzor and Rosprirodnadzor within their competence. Control over the Management Companies is exercised by territorial executive authorities, as well as structural divisions of Rospotrebnadzor and Rosprirodnadzor within their competence.
As part of the state contract, a specialized organization transports, neutralizes and processes waste mercury-containing lamps accumulated by Management Companies.
Do you know what? Currently, 907 collection points for waste mercury-containing lamps have been established in Moscow. Information about collection points for waste mercury-containing fluorescent lamps is also presented on the websites of management companies.
There are several options for handing over energy-saving lamps containing mercury for recycling in Moscow.
Option 1. Containers for receiving hazardous waste
(from the company "First Ecological Service")
Installed in Moscow and the region more than 200 containers, where you can submit:
- mercury thermometers
- old batteries
- energy saving light bulbs
Container address map -
The containers look like this:
Option 2. Submit to DEZ
It is better to call first on a single telephone number:
In Moscow, in this regard, there is an Order of the Moscow Government “On the organization of work on the centralized collection, transportation and processing of waste mercury-containing fluorescent and compact fluorescent lamps” dated May 19, 2010 No. 949-RP. You can read (who really wants this!!!) this order on our website in the section.
In accordance with this document, energy-saving lamps can be handed over to the regional DEZ. And if they refuse to accept your lamps, you should not be afraid and prove that you are right!
The list of Moscow health centers that accept lamps is on our website.
Option 3.Hypermarket "Globus"
Address: Novorizhskoe highway, 22 km, vl. 1, page 1
Working hours; Daily from 8:00 to 23:00
Here you can donate energy-saving lamps, as well as batteries and mercury thermometers. All this waste is then sent for disposal to specialized enterprises with which the network has contracts.
More details in the news.
Option 4. Leroy Merlin stores in Moscow and the region
The chain's stores have containers where you can return them.
