Where to put mercury lamps. Recycling of fluorescent lamps. Right to receive lamps

The main problem For owners of economical light sources that run on gas, the problem is that they often do not know how to properly dispose of such a lamp. We invite you to consider how recycling is carried out fluorescent lamps, how much this event costs in different cities of Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Ukraine, as well as what organization is involved in this.

Why is recycling needed?

Recycling and recycling of fluorescent and mercury-containing lamps is the recovery of waste material from the lamp of the same name (mercury, mercury) for the production of new products. Glass tubes can be turned into new glass products, brass and aluminum end caps can be reused as additional chip parts, and the interior coating is most often recycled for professional paint pigments. Even mercury is used to refill energy-saving lamps.

Photo – Mercury disposal

Large companies even enter into an agreement for the recycling of fluorescent lamps, because... Every year more than 60,000 light sources are thrown away or discarded, general content mercury in which can poison hectares of land.

The amount of mercury in fluorescent lamps ranges from 3 to 46 mg, depending on the size of the lamp and the age. New lamps contain less mercury to 3-4 mg and are sold as low mercury. Only a few tenths of a milligram of mercury are required to maintain light, but lamps must include more of the substance to compensate for the portion of mercury that is absorbed internal parts lamps to maintain the arc. Mercury-free gas discharge sources have significantly less visible light production, about half; however, mercury remains an important component of fluorescent lamps.

Photo – Demercurization

A broken luminescent model will release mercury into external environment. Therefore, before disposing of the lamp, it must not be broken. 99% of mercury is typically found in phosphorus, especially in fixtures that are near their end of life.

Video: features and problems of recycling

How to recycle waste fluorescent lamps: instructions

The best way to get rid of fluorescent lamps is not to throw them in the trash, but to recycle them instead. Fluorescent models are completely safe to use. But if the tube is damaged, the poisons will begin to evaporate and harm the environment. The container for recycling fluorescent lamps is a sealed housing made of a special alloy of glass or alloy steel. There is a hole on the lid or on the side that closes with an automatic latch. As soon as you push the lamp into it, the lid closes hermetically, vapors do not penetrate outside, everything is completely safe.

Photo – Container
Photo – view of the recycling container

You need to understand that there is relevant law Russian Federation No. 187, art. 39, according to which you are required to pay a fine if you disposed of potentially hazardous waste (fluorescent lamps) in an unauthorized way, or if you independently installed a recycling container in the wrong place, and also organized unauthorized removal of waste from the territory where it was stored.

Photo – Improper disposal

Which lamps can be recycled? according to safety precautions without calling specialists from government agencies:

1. Compact fluorescent lamps (small tubes or round lamps like protected housing and communal services), which have high class dangers;
2. Fluorescent models of all shapes and sizes (tubes, circles, U-shaped, tanning lamps and black lights);
3. Intensive high-discharge options (for example, NPP), they are usually used for outdoor lighting (they use compounds of hazardous gases: metal halides, mercury vapor and high-pressure sodium);
4. Neon lights, including LED lights if necessary. They do not pose a threat of infection, but they pollute natural resources.

How to properly dispose of fluorescent lamps:

1. Do not throw or break under any circumstances.

The integrity of the shell must not be compromised. If for some reason the pipe breaks accidentally, then you need to organize the collection and transportation of the part in a sealed container. Wear gloves, safety glasses, a face shield and overalls when picking up debris. Pick up even small pieces by patting the collection area with sticky side tape and a damp cloth. Do not use a vacuum cleaner to vacuum up lamp debris, as a standard vacuum will spread mercury-containing dust throughout the area and contribute to contamination. Ventilate work area and reduce the temperature in it. Finally, check with local authorities to see where hazardous waste can be disposed of. Then contact government enterprises, which will use special devices to measure the level of dangerous particles in the air. Drawing of lamp recycling process.jpg

1. Pack the lamps correctly;

Many companies, when disposing of lamps, package them incorrectly, neglecting basic safety standards. It is necessary to wrap the glass pipe without plastic film, but with special shells that form a vacuum in the lamp. This technology promotes maximum safe transportation. Basic requirements for transportation: it can withstand low temperature to prevent particles from entering the air. The containers are also selected in a special way; polyvinyl chloride film is most often used. It looks like a regular shell for protection household appliances, but more dense in structure.

If you follow all these rules, you will be able to dispose of hazardous waste as safely and quickly as possible.

Price overview

It can be quite difficult to carry out all of the above points on your own, especially if you want to eliminate lamps in bulk. We propose to consider the cost of recycling fluorescent lamps NNP, DRL, as well as (storage, transportation) offered by city companies. Minimum cost of recycling 1 lamp:

City	Price, rubles	City	Price, rubles
Minsk	15	Voronezh	18
Donetsk	16	Almaty	15
Barnaul	18	Bratsk	15
Volgograd	15	Vologda	15
Dnepropetrovsk	20	Ekaterinburg	15
Izhevsk	15	Yoshkar-Ola	18
Lipetsk	15	Irkutsk	18
Kazan	18	Kyiv	20
Nizhny Novgorod	18	Nefteyugansk	18
Rostov-on-Don	15	Moscow	18
Novosibirsk	15	Odessa	18
Odintsovo	18	Omsk	15
Permian	18	Saint Petersburg	20
Podolsk	15	Ryazan	15
Samara	15	Saratov	18
Sevastopol	18	Syktyvkar	15
Tomsk	20	Tyumen	15
Kharkiv	18	Chelyabinsk	15
Shchelkovo	15	Yaroslavl	15
Balashikha	15	Chekhov	18

Ecotron is the most famous company that received the OKPD tender for the recycling of fluorescent lamps GOST 30772-2001. This company organizes demercurization, recycling of solid waste, mercury removal, lamp recycling, prepares documents for business partners, and much more. Consultation is free.

Gas discharge lamps are often used for indoor lighting various types. They have become widely used due to their increased service life and reliability. In addition, their luminous efficiency far exceeds that of conventional incandescent lamps.

Disposal of fluorescent lamps requires the use of special equipment for removal and processing and compliance with all safety regulations due to the mercury they contain. If the seal of the bulb of such a lamp is broken, toxic fumes will poison all living things around.

Removal and disposal of fluorescent lamps: rules and features

To safely destroy such luminaires, it is necessary to comply with all prescribed environmental regulations.

Before transportation, they are tightly placed in sealed containers and covered with a lid. Fluorescent lamps are removed on specially equipped trucks covered with tarpaulin or other protective material. In addition, identification markings are applied to the vehicles and they are equipped with flashing lights. The speed of transport should not exceed 60 km/h both in the city and outside it.

The price for the removal of fluorescent lamps remains quite low, especially in comparison with the cost of eliminating damage in the event of their seal being broken or improperly destroyed. Safe transportation is an important stage in the processing of toxic raw materials.

The cost of recycling fluorescent lamps also allows companies and individuals to turn to waste removal and disposal services. Recycling of lamps is carried out in several ways.

• Mechanical. The destruction process itself consists of crushing waste in special sealed devices. Thus, the lamps in a safe way are broken, foreign materials are removed from them - phosphor, aluminum, glass. Then they are all sorted into different containers and sent for further processing as recyclable materials or destroyed in a harmless way;
• Thermal. The price of such recycling of fluorescent lamps is slightly higher, however, in this case, mercury vapor is condensed in a special container, which allows this metal to be reused in production.

Transportation and processing of such lamps must be carried out by qualified specialists with the obligatory division of lamps into types.

Inexpensive recycling of fluorescent lamps in Moscow from the EKOUMVELT company

Our company offers transportation and processing services hazardous waste in the shortest possible time. We provide everything Required documents on compliance of processing with environmental norms and standards.

Our main advantage is the fast and environmentally friendly disposal of fluorescent lamps in Moscow and the Moscow region, the price of which is affordable for a wide range of customers. We carry out work in full accordance with sanitary standards and we have all the necessary equipment for the high-quality destruction of toxic waste. Our environmental specialists will answer all questions regarding both the process itself and its legal registration. To find out the price for recycling fluorescent lamps per piece, just call us. We are working to do the world cleaner, and our common future healthy and prosperous. We are waiting for you!

Get an annual contract for recycling fluorescent lamps in 1 hour! We know everything about recycling fluorescent lamps!

Basically, fluorescent lamps come in two types:

1. Type LB (20, 40, 80) - often used in street lighting and indoor lighting. Made in the form of a glass tube sealed with cathodes at the ends. The main light-forming agent is phosphor.

Lamp length from 600 mm to 1200 mm. Power consumption: from 20W to 80W. They have a long service life from 12,000 to 15,000 hours. They are produced in a straight, U-shaped design.

2. DRL type (125, 250) - Used in street lighting. Made in the form of a flask with a phosphor inside. Type of base: E40. Length: from 176 mm to 228 mm. Power: from 125 to 250 W.

The most hazardous waste, which is the result of the life activity of office centers, warehouse complexes or garages, i.e. those places where there is a need to use daylighting are used fluorescent lamps. The destruction of the flask itself can be a big problem, and can also lead to serious consequences associated with the release of vapors from the mercury inside. Employees of companies that are responsible for lighting buildings can easily replace a burnt-out one with a new one, and also store it in a specially designated place.

From us you can purchase a special replaceable container for storing them by contacting our company. As it fills up, contact Our company. We come to you and, taking a full container, provide an empty one for replacement.

Recycling of fluorescent lamps or DRLs, as well as energy-saving ones, is carried out on one line. Technically it is one process. See how fluorescent lamps are recycled.

If you don’t know where to deliver your solarium lamps, then our company will become your qualified contractor; by coming to Inter Green, the client receives maximum service for collecting them. The first step is to purchase a container for mercury lamps from us.

It is also very important to accept correct solution When a problem arises - disposal of solarium lamps, what to do with it? The answer is very simple - Contact our company to get a complete and competent consultation. Providing comprehensive assistance in the provision of services, we provide containers for mercury lamps.

Our company, if necessary, uses light-duty Volkswagen Transporter trucks in its work. Every year we transport and dispose of mercury-containing lamps in quantities exceeding hundreds of thousands. Among them, DRL lamps make up a significant share.

Our company is rightfully one of the leaders in the disposal and recycling of mercury lamps. All personnel have received the necessary professional training. The plant for recycling energy-saving lamps is located in the Moscow region, so the efficiency of work always remains at the highest level.

You can fill out an application for the removal of lamps or get an agreement for the disposal of fluorescent lamps right now.

Energy-saving lamps will soon replace all incandescent lamps. Now more and more consumers are switching to energy savers, as they can significantly reduce the amount of electricity used. The most common types of energy-saving lamps are LED and compact fluorescent (CFL). LED models do not have any negative impact on the environment and humans, because special requirements there is no need for their disposal. But with CFLs things are different; they must be taken to special items reception.

What is the danger

Disposal of energy-saving lamps of this type should be carried out only in accordance with established regulations. They contain mercury and toxic substances. Mercury has no effect Negative influence on the human body and the environment while it is isolated in a sealed tube. But if the integrity of the flask is compromised, silver metal comes out and begins to evaporate even with room temperature. The contents of light bulbs can cause severe poisoning, which is manifested by the following symptoms:

• nausea;
• abdominal pain;
• damage to the central nervous system;
• bleeding gums;
• disruption of internal organs;
• dysfunction of the reproductive system.

Mercury is a cumulative poison; it is not eliminated from the body, but accumulates in it and gradually destroys it. It is very difficult to cure poisoning with this substance. If you do not hand it over to the collection point, the integrity of its glass flask will certainly be damaged. Dangerous substance If it enters the atmosphere, it will pollute the soil.

It is especially dangerous when mercury enters water bodies - fish and seafood quickly absorb it, and then poison the people who eat them. Spent CFLs belong to the first hazard class waste, therefore energy-saving light bulbs must be disposed of correctly.

Who collects waste CFLs?

In Russia, there are just over 50 factories that process energy-saving lamps. At the enterprise itself, lighting fixtures are divided into different parts. Next, one of the demercurization technologies (mercury removal) is used:

When harmful substances separated from secondary raw materials used for further processing, the mercury is placed in sealed boxes and covered with concrete. After this, her burial takes place.

Right to receive lamps

Many consumers wonder where to dispose of used lighting elements. There are not many collection points for energy-saving lamps in our country. The difficulty lies in the fact that only those organizations that have received a license to collect and transport hazardous waste can this type activities. They are subject to a number of mandatory requirements:

Fulfill all these requirements and obtain a license from Federal service supervision in the field of environmental management is not easy. In addition, this type of activity is quite expensive, which is why collection points for waste CFLs cannot be found even in every big city.

The population should now think about how to recycle energy-saving appliances, state level this issue has not yet been resolved.

Disposal methods

Lamp acceptance in Moscow is carried out by many private and state companies, but in small towns this may cause problems. Let's consider where you can find a point for passing CFLs, and who should do this on the periphery.

In conclusion

Under no circumstances should energy-saving lighting devices be thrown away. garbage bins, garbage chute, flush it down the drain or just leave it on the street. Due to the presence of mercury in lamps, they must be disposed of only in specially designated places.

Several private and public companies are engaged in the collection of CFLs. Now their number is insignificant, but if you want to keep the planet clean for yourself and future generations, do not be lazy to find special reception centers for housekeepers in your city.

Incandescent light bulbs are gradually being replaced by other light sources with greater light output. This means that the required illumination in the room can be achieved with less energy consumption. One of the light sources that allows you to save energy are energy-saving lamps, which additionally have a number of advantages:

• presence of a standard base and similar dimensions allow them to be used in lighting fixtures, designed for incandescent lamps;
• the range of light shades (warm white, white, cool white or daylight) allows you to choose the most comfortable one for the consumer;
• the service life of high-quality lamps is much longer than the life of incandescent lamps;
• Their cost is much lower than similar LED ones.

It should be added that the government of the Russian Federation has taken a course towards the use of energy-saving technologies. A complete transition to other light sources is impossible within a short time, so it was divided into several stages:

1. The production of incandescent lamps with a power of 100 W and above has been prohibited since 2011;
2. Incandescent lamps with a power of 75 W and above have been banned from production since 2013;
3. In 2014, the production of 25 W incandescent lamps was completed.

Incandescent lamps inevitably burn out; they are supposed to be replaced with either energy-saving or LED ones. The latter are less accessible to most of the population due to their cost. Therefore, the number of compact fluorescent lamps in use is inevitably growing every year.

But not everything is so simple and rosy. New light sources also have disadvantages that are much more serious than the flaws of incandescent lamps, which we have to get rid of. Here are the main problems accompanying and:

• the price of the product is higher than that of an incandescent lamp;
• the desire of manufacturers to make products cheaper reduces their quality and service life;
• flickering (pulsations) of the light flux, affecting vision, especially strong in inexpensive specimens;
• the presence of harmonics in the consumed current, which deteriorate the quality of electricity and the operating mode of the electrical network when similar consumers are massively connected to it.

Why is there mercury in a fluorescent lamp?

Energy-saving light bulbs also have the most important drawback: they contain mercury or its amalgam, obtained by fusion with indium and bismuth.

When making any fluorescent lamp, air is pumped out of its bulb. Instead, inert gas is pumped in and mercury, which is a conductor, is added electric current. When voltage is applied between the electrodes located at the ends of the bulb, the gases in the lamp are ionized. Current flows through them. Ionized gases glow and emit ultraviolet radiation. To convert it into visible light, the inside of the bulb is coated with a thin layer of phosphor, the composition of which determines the light emitted by the lamp.

Energy-saving light bulbs are structurally different from conventional fluorescent light bulbs:

• complex shape of the flask, which allows reducing the geometric dimensions of the product;
• availability protective film, covering the inside of a layer of phosphor, transmitting ultraviolet and visible rays, and protecting it from “poisoning” by the components located inside;
• more complex control scheme.

Mercury - chemical element, harmful to human body. In liquid form, it does not pose a threat, but even at room temperature, mercury begins to evaporate. Vapors may cause poisoning if inhaled. But the main danger is that mercury is a cumulative poison: it is difficult to remove from the body and accumulates there. He suffers from liver, kidneys, gastrointestinal tract, nervous system.

An old-style fluorescent lamp contains about 30 mg of mercury. In energy-saving it is about 5 mg. This is about 100 times less than inside a medical thermometer. But, nevertheless, it is there, from which two important conclusions follow:

• fluorescent lamps must not be thrown away together with household waste;
• If a lamp in a household is damaged, the mercury must be collected, as is the case with a medical thermometer.

How to recycle energy-saving lamps

The bulb bulb is sealed, so the mercury inside it is not exposed to environment no danger. The problem is that the glass of the flask is very fragile. When disposed of together with household waste during loading, unloading, or moving a bulldozer around the landfill, it will inevitably break. The mercury will either evaporate and enter the atmosphere, or groundwater will end up in the nearest body of water. When interacting with microorganisms inhabiting the bottom of any body of water, a soluble organic compound mercury – methylmercury, more toxic than its constituent chemical element.

Light bulbs, like batteries, are recycled at special enterprises. Lamps are divided into components: glass, phosphor, mercury, base, electronics. Each of them has its own path; some of the materials can be reused after processing. Toxic compounds are packed in a cement shell and buried.

The recycling process is not so simple and, as a result, expensive. This is probably why there are not so many enterprises in Russia where energy-saving lamps are sent for recycling. In European countries, this issue is approached with greater responsibility. This brings undeniable benefits separate collection household waste, which is the norm for Europeans.

In our country, to this day, only one container is used to collect waste. Unfortunately, only a few understand what to do with waste that poses a danger to the environment. Every resident should know how to properly dispose of energy-saving light bulbs and where to take them.

A lamp that has expired must be packed in a sealed container. plastic bag. You can find out where to deliver it in order to recycle energy-saving lamps via the Internet, for example, on the official website of the city in which you live. There are several places where you can definitely donate lamps:

• service departments of the IKEA store chain have containers where lamps are collected;
• DEZs (directorates for building maintenance) and REUs (repair and maintenance departments) of some cities are required to accept lamps for recycling;
• Industrial enterprises and organizations servicing electrical or lighting networks have connections with enterprises where energy-saving lamps can be recycled.

We can still wait a long time until the process of collecting such waste is established at the state level. Therefore, if you are not indifferent to the environment ecological situation, handle the recycling yourself. You can even organize collection points for mercury-containing products within your entrance or home, where your neighbors will bring them.

What to do if the lamp breaks

The procedure for dealing with damage to the lamp bulb is the same as for broken thermometer. It is important to carry out the cleaning as soon as possible, but be careful and approach the process carefully and scrupulously.

1. Isolate the room with the broken object from other rooms;
2. Do not clean with the whole family; this should be done by one person;
3. Open the window to ventilate the room;
4. Wear rubber gloves. If they are not there, protect your hands, at least from cuts from the usual ones used in construction work gloves;
5. Do not use a vacuum cleaner, brush or broom for cleaning;
6. Place large parts and fragments in a tight plastic bag, preferably having a clasp. Carefully collect small fragments using cardboard or a sheet of hard paper and pack them in the same bag;
7. Wipe the area where the lamp broke with a soft towel or cloth soaked in water. Pack gloves and cleaning products in the same place as the fragments;
8. If possible, treat this area with a solution of potassium permanganate;
9. Ventilate the room well or do it periodically throughout the day if the ambient temperature does not allow leaving the window open for a long time;
10. Send the package with the collected contents for recycling to the same place where light bulbs are sent;