Category: Mercury

Posted on

Mercury in compact fluorescent lighting

Compact fluorescent light bulbs offer significant environmental benefits over incandescent bulbs because they are more energy efficient, which reduces their climate footprint. However, they do contain a small amount of mercury, which can be released into the environment if the bulb is broken upon disposal.

Vicki Fulbright addressed this topic in her presentation at the 2005 ENERGY STAR Lighing Partners Meeting, “The CFL Mercury Conundrum: Northwest Utilities Respond“. She discusses the conundrum, reasons to recycle, and profiles successful recycling programs from throughout the United States.

For more information on the topic, see also:

If you have other suggestions for other resources on this topic, just login and leave a note in the comments.

Posted on

End of Life Vehicle Solutions (ELVS)

Check out the web site for End of Life Vehicle Solutions (ELVS). ELVS was created by the automotive industry to promote the industry’s environmental efforts in recyclability, education and outreach, and the proper management of substances of concern. Participating Members of ELVS are: BMW of North America, LLC, DaimlerChrysler Corporation, Ford Motor Company, General Motors Corporation, International Truck & Engine, Mack Trucks, Inc., Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc., Nissan North America, Inc., Subaru of America, Inc., Volkswagen of America, Inc., and Volvo Trucks North America. End of Life Vehicle Solutions manages, on a nationwide basis, programs to collect, transport, retort, recycle, or dispose of elemental mercury from automotive switches.

The ELVS web site provides information on medium and heavy-duty trucks, the National Vehicle Mercury Switch Recovery Program, educational materials (including videos showing how to remove certain switches from specified vehicles), recycling opportunities via The Environmental Quality Company (EQ), and mercury switch recovery program reporting for various states. An interactive map on the home page allows users to click on states to view regulatory information related to mercury switches for that state.

Posted on

Discussion Group Pages

One of the outcomes of the GLRPPR Strategic Planning Meeting that was held in February 2006 was the formation of four “discussion groups” for the purpose of networking and facilitation of communication and cooperation among regional organizations. These groups were formed around four topics identified by meeting attendees as subjects of special interest for the region: mercury, energy efficiency, water, and lean and green manufacturing.

GLRPPR administrative staff will assist these groups as needed with the arrangement of conference calls, and facilitation of communication among members of the group and among the groups and the general membership via the maintenance of these web pages and posting or promotion of material via the GLRPPR web site and newsletter. The discussion groups are independent entities/efforts of GLRPPR members—the GLRPPR administrative staff and Steering Committee do not manage these groups or dictate the pollution prevention topics for which GLRPPR members may form groups.

Discussion Group pages are now available on the GLRPPR web site. These pages provide descriptions of these groups and contact information, as well as conference call information and shared documents of interest where appropriate. If you are interested in joining any of these groups, please contact the individual “lead” for that group, identified on the group’s page.

If you are interested in forming an additional discussion group on a topic of regional significance, please contact Bob Iverson.