DISPOSAL OF FLUORESCENT TUBES AND LOW ENERGY BULBS

[Michael Alexander]

About time and a good move...

"Purple skips have been provided for the disposal of fluorescent tubes and low energy bulbs at the following places:

·       Opposite the Teleshop, behind the Snooker and Darts Club; and

·       At the entrance to the Allied Services Complex.


Please make use of these facilities for the abovementioned items only.

Joos Lombaard

Property Administration Manager

[Charles Scheepers]

Fluorescent tubes are the most common light source now in use in offices and plants throughout the developed world because of their high electricity to light conversion efficiency. While they come in many shapes, the 4 foot and 8 foot long tubes are the most common. Mercury is essential to the operation of the tubes. In the manufacturing process the required mercury is placed inside the tube. A four foot tube will contain 13 to 50 milligrams of mercury and an 8 foot tube will contain 20 to 75 milligrams of mercury. The average four foot tube will additionally contain 4 to 5 grams of a light emitting phosphor powder on the inside of the glass tube.

Mercury in many forms and compounds has been designated as a hazardous substance by the Environmental Protection Agency and others because of its adverse affects on our biological systems. Fluorescent tubes have a typical operational life span of 8,000 to 10,000 hours, roughly one year of continuous operation. At the end of their useful life they need to be disposed of in a safe, compliant manner. The disposal process presents many challenges, the most important one is not breaking the tube before mercury vapour control can be exercised.


The above is info that I got from the Internet.
What happens to the mercury vapour that escape from the purple skips??

[Michael Alexander]

mmmh! Wonder if is cancer causing?

[Charles Scheepers]

Mercury vapours are extremely poisonous. Many gold miners met an early death purifying their gold dust but boiling it down with mercury. Do a Google search on the phrase "mad as a hatter" and you will be supprised!!!

[Mike Voden (RIP)]

Before Allied Services was outsourced, Town Electric had a tube crushing machine which fitted over empty oil drums and when full, these drums were sealed, collected by Lost Control who eventually disposed of them elsewhere but I cannot remember where. Lost Control should have records of such items...............

[Michael Alexander]

Interesting, I wonder where all those drums went to over the years then.....

[Mike Voden (RIP)]

Ask Obbas, he should know..................

[SandyB]

The collection points at many shops in CT for batteries CFL's and flourescent tubes is for collection for recycling the heavy metals etc in them ,,, just hope it is happening so ,,,