As convenient as the trash or recycling bin is under the desk at the office, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is making a point of enforcing the proper disposal of mercury-containing office light bulbs and lead-laden computer monitors in buildings owned or operated by the City of New York.
EPA and the city have reached an agreement to ensure that the city follows hazardous waste disposal regulations with respect to thousands of bulbs and computer monitors in 800 city buildings. The settlement requires the city to pay $50,000 in penalties and start a comprehensive program to properly manage bulb and computer monitor disposal. The city has further agreed to put $300,000 into a multi-facility, self-audit program to assess compliance with hazardous waste management regulations.
Violations of hazardous waste disposal regulations were discovered during inspections of several city buildings in 2003 to 2005 by the Department of Citywide Administrative Services. However, EPA conducted subsequent inspections and found that the city agency did not address hazardous waste disposal of spent fluorescent lamps or used computer monitors during its inspections and also failed to package waste to prevent releases into the environment.
”Mercury and lead from such wastes can pose severe threats to people’s health if they are released into the environment when they are haphazardly tossed out,” George Pavlou, EPA Acting Regional Administrator said. “We are very happy that the city is taking steps to prevent these types of substances from entering the environment and is going beyond compliance to establish a very extensive self-monitoring project.”
Mercury, Lead Serious Risks
Exposure to mercury, which is a component of fluorescent bulbs, can be harmful to the nervous system. At high levels, mercury can permanently damage the brain and kidneys. Even short-term exposure can result in lung damage, increased blood pressure and rashes, EPA warns. Exposure to lead, found in computer monitors, causes neurological development problems in children and also adversely affects the health of adults, including increased blood pressure, nephritis and cerebrovascular disease, it says.
EPA has information about how to handle lights containing mercury and for recycling computer monitors.
