75 years of excellence shared responsibility in the electrical sector ric erdheim senior manager –...
TRANSCRIPT
75 years of excellence
Shared Responsibility in the Electrical Sector
Ric ErdheimSenior Manager – NEMAExecutive Director – TRC
November, 2002
75 years of excellence
Outline
o Describe TRC Recycling Programo Discuss Factors Applicable to TRCo Compare Battery and Lamp Industry
Approacheso Recommend Criteria to Consider
75 years of excellence
TRC Program – Why?
Concern about spent product disposal 2.8 grams/switch, 1.4 switches/thermostat Cannot reduce mercury in mercury switch
thermostats Non mercury thermostats can have
disadvantages (energy efficiency, retrofitability, cost, durability, inappropriate for visually impaired and handicapped.)
75 years of excellence
TRC Program – How?
Established cost-efficient program utilizing universal waste rule.
Three major manufacturers; Honeywell, White-Rodgers, GE
Companies pay transportation and mercury recovery costs
TRC losses money – mercury has no value
75 years of excellence
TRC Program – How?
TRC signs up HVAC (not electrical) wholesalers
Most thermostats sold through HVAC wholesalers, not retailers
One-time $15 fee per containerReceive TRC container (1X1X2 feet)Brings in business.
75 years of excellence
TRC Program – How?
List at www.nema.org/trc TRC
Free to contractors who installWhen filled (50-100 stats) wholesaler
ships container at TRC expense to clipping facility
Clipped ampuoles sent to Bethlehem Apparatus for mercury recovery
75 years of excellence
TRC Program – How?
Letters to wholesalers and contractorsTwice/year Press releases published in
trade press and information to statesContact with NHRAW and ACCA HQ and
local chaptersContractor flier – Available on WebsiteContractor requests to wholesalers
75 years of excellence
TRC Program – How?
State and local government efforts – recovery greatest in states with aggressive efforts (Education, RCRA Enforcement, HHW Outreach, Container Placement, Pledge Program)
Incinerator Companies
75 years of excellence
TRC Program – Results
1/98-7/1/02 results (processed by TRC):> 150,000 thermostats> 1,300 pounds of mercury1,000 store participate
75 years of excellence
NATIONAL COLLECTIONS
050
100150200250300350400450500
1998 1999 2000 2001
POUNDS
STATS (100)
75 years of excellence
PROGRAM LESSONS
Products vastly different: Units Sold Size Fragility Level of Hazardous Substance Distribution Channel and Users (homeowners,
businesses, specialized installers) Availability and Attributes of Alternatives
75 years of excellence
PROGRAM LESSONS
TRC program works because; T stats contain grams/mercury (500-1000
times > CFLs or button batteries Number sold Economies from using existing limited
distribution system Contractors install Small, sturdy & wholesalers properly handle
75 years of excellence
BATTERY AND LAMP INDUSTRY APPROACH
Battery industry focused on source reduction.
Collection only where makes sense – RBRC rechargeable battery collection.
Lamp industry involved in both source reduction and recycling promotion for businesses.
U.S. mercury consumption, by end use; metric tons
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
1950 1960 1970 1980 1990OtherDental usesMeasuring & control instrumentsElectrical, total; includes wiring devices, batteries, lighting prior to 1977LightingBatteriesWiring devices & switchesAgriculturePharmaceuticalsLaboratory usesPaintChlorine & caustic soda mfgr.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Mines
75 years of excellence
BUTTON BATTERIES
Button cells used in hearing aids, digital thermometers, insulin pumps, portable medical monitors, hospital pagers, watches, toys, and calculators
Button batteries sold in US annually contain 2 tons
75 years of excellence
BUTTON BATTERIES
Disposal ban and collection not cost-effective.
According to analysis by Chittenden co. Vermont solid waste mgmt district, batteries and residential lamps are least cost-effective products to recover.
Need to recover 57,000 average hearing aid batteries to recover one pound of mercury
75 years of excellence
LAMPS
27 tons mercury in 1990 lamps 9 tons mercury in 2001 lamps54,500 2001 average four foot lamps
contain 1 pound mercury.113,000 CFLs contain 1 pound hg.Use of mercury containing lamps reduces
mercury in the environment.
Lifetime Mercury Emissions
0.7
89.0 (Mag) 78.0 (EEMag)
0.24
55.0
7.2
55.0
292.0
0
60
120
180
240
300
4 ft. T12 4 ft. T8 4 ft. T8 Incandescent
Hg ReleasedDuringDisposal
Hg ReleasedFrom PowerGeneration
*Based on 20K burning hours, Hg content of 23 mg per T12 lamp, and 8 mg per T8 lamp. Hg content of fuels is the US weighted average for fossil and non-fossil fuels, calculated from “Environmental and Health Aspects of Lighting: Mercury” J.IES 1994. Disposal emissions assume 3% in residuals of recycling, 90% from incinerators.
Magnetic TCLP Failing
Recycled
ElectronicTCLP Compliant
Recycled
ElectronicTCLP Compliant
Incinerated
Equivalent Light Output
Mil
lig
ram
s o
f M
ercu
ry
CONCLUSIONS
Hg from lamp disposal is small compared to Hg released from power generation required to operate lampIncandescent lamps contain no mercury but result in the highest Hg emissions
KEY
*
75 years of excellence
LAMPS
Lamp recycling has increased: 1997 75 million 2000 130 million NEMA estimate 21-26% recycling rate Existing infrastructure Manufacturer collection mandate interferes with
existing infrastructure and adds costs to preferable lighting source
85% of lamps used by businesses
75 years of excellence
LAMPS – OUTREACH
1. The internet (e.g., www.lamprecycle.org and www.almr.org)*. Sponsored respectively by NEMA Lamp
Manufacturers and Lamp Recyclers Contains State and Federal rules Lists Lamp Recyclers Recommends recycling
2. EPA Recycling Outreach $2 Million appropriation $750K to ALMR, NEMA and SWANA
75 years of excellence
SUMMARY
Different products have different attributes leading to different approaches.
Is recovery of product important because of volume or toxicity and is it worth the resources?
The market place is complex made up of competitors with different agendas using numerous product distribution paths.
What is the most cost-effective collection? Is product distribution system available for collection? Who are users (business vs. homeowner)? If homeowner how do you make it convenient? Does the spent product have value?
75 years of excellence
SUMMARY
What education is available to users?What roles should various participants
play (consumers, retailers, wholesalers, governments, manufacturers, recyclers)?