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Aluminium
| Ferrous Metals
Mercury
Mercury is toxic to humans and other animals, despite
this mercury can be found in a number of products including
fluorescent and sodium lamps, thermometers, button cell
batteries, barometers, tilt switches and dental amalgam.
If the mercury remains encased in the product the risk
to health is non-existent but problems may arise during
disposal. Disposal into landfill creates the risk of
mercury seeping into watercourses and entering the food
chain.
Under the Hazardous Waste regulations
implemented on the 16th July 2005, fluorescent tubes
are now classified as hazardous and as such require
collection under the new hazardous waste notification
and documentation procedures and may only be disposed
of at a hazardous waste landfill (the hazardous waste
regulations do not apply to domestic wastes and some
sites may be exempt if they produce less than 200 kg
of hazardous waste per year).
Inevitably the cost of disposing of fluorescent lighting
is set to increase and therefore recycling these materials
is becoming a more attractive option.
There are well established recycling processes for
dealing with fluorescent tubes. It is possible to recover
99% of the mercury which is the then sold back into
industry. Recycling products yields mercury, glass and
metals that are all used in other industries
| Links to
further Information |
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Mercury
Recycling based in Manchester provides a recycling
service for all forms of lighting and a range of other
mercury-containing products.
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