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 Volume V, No.1 A quarterly Publication for Friends of E. Sam Jones Distributor, Inc. |
The issues surrounding lamp and ballast disposal continue to confuse even those of us who claim to be well-informed on the subject. RCRA, CERCLA, TCLP, and TSCA look more like a recipe for alphabet soup than meaningful acronyms related to lamp and ballast disposal. Add to that federal versus state recycling regulations, and you might think about getting a high powered lawyer to protect your business against "the Superfund enemy." Well, worry not, E. Sam Jones is here to help you make some sense out of the lamp and ballast recycling issue. Let's begin with ballasts. The primary concern regarding the disposal of used ballasts is the health risk associated with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Human exposure to these possible carcinogens can cause skin, liver, and reproductive disorders. Ballasts manufactured prior to 1979 contain a small capacitor that may contain high concentrations of PCBs. In 1979, the production of PCBs was banned in the U.S. by the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), which is administered by the U.S. EPA.
There are several options you have to dispose of ballasts with PCBs, including (but not limited to): sanitary landfill, municipal incinerator or resource recovery facilities, chemical waste landfills, whole ballast incineration at a PCB incinerator, and capacitor removal,incineration, and recycling. The best option happens to be the last. This option involves removing the capacitor, incinerating only the PCB-contaminated material and recycling the rest of the ballast metals which include copper, steel, and aluminum. This way, over 80 percent of the ballast weight is recoverable. All of the other options could lead to potential CERCLA (Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 1980) or Superfund liability. There are currently no Federal laws regulating the disposal of non- PCB ballast (although we still encourage recycling). Fluorescent and HID lamps contain an entirely different harmful substance: mercury. Although these lamps contain only small quantities, mercury is, nevertheless a known poisonous substance. Improperly managed, it can be harmful to the environment and to human health. Until recently, it was common practice to dispose of lamps containing mercury in landfills. It is estimated that over 500 million fluorescent lamps are discarded every year in the United States. The number continues to increase with more and more companies retrofitting their lamps to more energy efficient sources. Under Federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), generators of used fluorescent and HID lamps are responsible for determining whether their lamp wastes are hazardous. If you dispose of fewer than 300 to 350 four-foot T12 fluorescent lamps or 400 to 450 four-foot T8 fluorescent lamps per month, you are exempt from RCRA regulations. For most of our customers, only a facility retrofit or relamping project would necessitate full RCRA and CERCLA compliance. E. Sam Jones always takes responsibility in making sure our retrofit and relamp customers are in full compliance. In order to determine whether or not lamp wastes are hazardous, the EPA recommends conducting a TCLP (Toxic Characteristic Leachate Procedure) on a large, random sample of used lamps. If the mercury concentration exceeds 0.2 milligrams per liter, the lamp fails the toxicity test and is managed as hazardous waste. This test is rather costly at roughly $140 per lamp. Interestingly, most mercury-contained lamps fail the TCLP test. Expensive disposal and recycling options have led to the introduction of low-mercury fluorescent lamps, such as Philips "Alto" lamp, which are exempt from the strict EPA regulations (see the article "Product Highlight" for additional information on low mercury fluorescent lamps). By far, the best option for lamp disposal is recycling. This method separates the toxic substances (such as mercury) from the glass, aluminum, and other lamp components, and all materials may be re-used in manufacturing other products. Above all, your best protection against any future Superfund liability is to contract with a Federal EPA licensed lamp and/or ballast removal/recycling company. Please call E.Sam Jones for additional information (404-351-3250). *Information provided by the EPA's Green Lights Program and Mercury Waste Solutions,Inc.
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E. Sam Jones Distributor, Inc. jumped 23 companies (from 171) to land at the 148 spot on Electrical Wholesaling magazine's annual top 250 list of U.S. electrical distributors. The rankings are based on annual sales volume. E. Sam Jones continues to grow and provide expanded capabilities for its customers.
With six locations in Atlanta, Nashville, Charlotte, Houston, Phoenix, and Tucson, E. Sam Jones also has plans to expand into the Los Angeles area in the Spring of 1998. These growth areas place us in a position to offer a higher level of service to our national accounts, as well as local markets. With over $9 million in inventory and over 200,000 total square feet, E. Sam Jones represents a commitment to performing the role of a "true" distributor.
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GLADIATOR - II
Secondly, the unique Spartan Split-Box slides open to completely expose all the wires for easy access and hookup. In addition, the unit can be separately mounted to the conduit on hanging hook. The ballast assembly can then be securely mounted, making this a simple one-man installation. Finally, no special tools are necessary to install and adjust the refractor for the desired beam spread. All it takes is a turn of the wrist, and the refractor is locked into position. *Information provided by Spartan Lighting
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The advent of more strict lamp disposal rules, as well as environmental concerns in general, have led to the increased popularity of low-mercury fluorescent lamps.
Philips Lighting was among the first lighting manufacturers to offer their "ALTO" low mercury fluorescent lamp line. In fact, they have won numerous awards for their innovative technology.
GE Lighting and Osram Sylvania were quick to pursue this technology and have their respective Ecolux and Ecologic lamp lines.
Mercury is an essential ingredient in the operation of fluorescent lamps. Standard 4 foot fluorescents usually fail the EPA's TCLP test (see more information about this test in our front page article "Superfund Liability"). The new low-mercury lamps consistently pass the TCLP test. These lamps are considered non-hazardous in most states, thereby reducing lamp disposal costs (state EPA regulations vary).
Despite the fact these lamps have nearly 70 percent less mercury than their standard counterparts, the quality and integrity of the lamp is maintained overits life. It's also good news that ballast requirements stay the same.
Philips Lighting has, once again, led the way by converting their standard 4 foot and 8 foot "econ-o-watt" lamps to the low-mercury 'ALTO' equivalent. What began as a premium-priced product is now in-line with standard energy-saver fluorescents. T-8 technology is currently available in low-mercury fluorescent in limited supply. Please contact your E. Sam Jones customer service department for information on product availability.
*Information provided by Philips Lighting, GE Lighting, and Osram Sylvania.its life. It's also good news that ballast requirements stay the same.
Philips Lighting has, once again, led the way by converting their standard 4 foot and 8 foot "econ-o-watt" lamps to the low-mercury 'ALTO' equivalent. What began as a premium-priced product is now in-line with standard energy-saver fluorescents. T-8 technology is currently available in low-mercury fluorescent in limited supply. Please contact your E. Sam Jones customer service department for information on product availability.
*Information provided by Philips Lighting, GE Lighting, and Osram Sylvania.
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CarpetMAX
E. Sam Jones Distributor was the chosen supplier of fixtures and lamps for their
new construction of the "CarpetMAX
Flooring Idea Gallery," developed as a "category killer" for the floorcovering industry. These 6,500 square feet stores are designed to be open, bright, and contemporary, with distinct product galleries, each devoted to a single product segment including carpet, area rugs, hardwood flooring, laminates, vinyl, and ceramic tile.
The store fixtures were manufactured by Juno Lighting. Al Meredith, the Juno Lighting National Accounts Manager, worked with CarpetMAX and their design firm for months, providing design assistance. Kevin Price was the National Accounts Rep for E. Sam Jones. The contemporary styling and quality of
the Juno equipment matches the image
that a first class retailer demands. And,
the partnership continues after construction, because Juno provides
its national accounts with a field installation manual so store managers will always know what equipment is used. Also included is a customized lamp order form, which stores can simply fax to E. Sam Jones when additional lamps are required.
"E. Sam Jones has been a great vendor to CarpetMAX. Not only do we get a good product at a good price, but we get excellent customer service."
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  SHERRY PRETORIUS Editor JAMIE J. JUNE |
However, since most ballasts have a life of 25 years or more, the potential for leakage still exists today. Unless the ballast is clearly marked "NO PCBs," with an appropriate date stamp (after 1979), you are responsible for the proper disposal of such ballast.
ESJ Nashville recently moved warehouse/office facilities to a new, larger location. At 27,000 square feet, we are better equipped to handle the larger volume of shipments out of Nashville. Branch manager Nan Wheatley could not have been more thrilled about the move. "We were busting out of the seams at Hill Avenue. It's nice to have the much needed additional space to hold more inventory and operate more efficiently," says Nan.
The new facility is currently located at 4040 Business Park, 705 Melrose Avenue, Nashville 37211. The new P.O. Box is 41427, Nashville 37204. The phone and fax numbers stay the same.
LOW-MERCURY FLUORESCENT LAMPS*
Founded in 1989 and based in Kennesaw, Georgia (a suburb of Atlanta), The Maxim Group, Inc. operates one of the largest retail floor covering networks in North America. There are 457 franchised stores and 50 Company-owned stores in the U.S. and Canada that operate under the CarpetMAX name.