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According to EPA Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) regulations, the material must be incinerated. The entire lighting fixture does not need special handling and disposal as long as the ballast (electrical box) is not leaking. The non-leaking ballasts can be removed and recycled or disposed of properly.
How do I know if a ballast has PCBs?
Ballasts manufactured between 1979 and 1998 that do not contain PCBs are labeled “No PCBs” If a ballast is not labeled “No PCBs”, it is best to assume it contains PCBs. If the ballast does contain PCBs, they are located inside the small capacitor or in the surrounding potting material.
Are fluorescent light ballasts worth anything?
Both fluorescent lights and HID (high-intensity discharge) lights require ballasts to handle the amount of power they put out. According to current listings, if you can resell one that’s in fantastic condition, you can often get $13 to $20 for the average ballast!Sep 1, 2021.
How do you dispose of light ballast?
You may be able to dispose of a few intact ballasts containing PCBs the same as ordinary trash or at a household hazardous waste collection event or drop-off location sponsored by your county, city, or waste disposal district or company.
Does Home Depot recycle light fixtures?
Unfortunately, Home Depot does not offer a recycling service for these bulbs as its CFL recycling service is only for household bulbs. Though Home Depot does not recycle a number of bulb types, it does offer information on the proper disposal of these bulbs on its website.
How do I dispose of fluorescent ballast?
According to EPA Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) regulations, the material must be incinerated. The entire lighting fixture does not need special handling and disposal as long as the ballast (electrical box) is not leaking. The non-leaking ballasts can be removed and recycled or disposed of properly.
When did they stop making PCB ballasts?
EPA recommends that school administrators and building owners consider removing and replacing HID ballasts that contain PCBs. In 1976, Congress banned PCB manufacturing in the United States due to their toxic effects. In July 1979, EPA phased out the processing and use of PCBs, except in totally enclosed equipment.
Can fluorescent light fixtures be recycled?
All fluorescent lamps and tubes must be recycled, or taken to a household hazardous waste disposal facility, a universal waste handler (e.g., storage facility or broker), or an authorized recycling facility.
Do scrap yards take light ballast?
The worst type of ballast that you can have is a PCB ballast. These are very harmful to the environment and many scrap yards will not want to buy or even take these in as as scrap because they are very difficult to recycle correctly.
What is inside a ballast?
A magnetic ballast (also called a choke) contains a coil of copper wire. The magnetic field produced by the wire traps most of the current so only the right amount gets through to the fluorescent light. That amount can fluctuate depending on the thickness and length of the copper wire.
Can I recycle fluorescent bulbs at Lowe’s?
Keep in mind Lowe’s stores offer a recycling center (usually near the entrance) that accepts plastic bags, CFL bulbs, rechargeable batteries, and cellphones. Simply bring your items in, follow instructions at the recycling center, or garden center, and Lowe’s will take care of the rest.
Are fluorescent tubes hazardous waste?
Fluorescent tubes are classified as hazardous waste, falling under the section of industrial products. This means that they need to be recycled differently to normal waste, otherwise they could harm the environment, wildlife and even humans.
Are ballasts universal waste?
Just like CFL light bulbs, universal waste regulations require proper disposal of lamps and ballasts through either recycling or hazardous waste landfills.
Does IKEA recycle fluorescent bulbs?
General Info: IKEA provides fluorescent bulb and household battery recycling to the general public. No purchase necessary. Individuals can drop off used flourescent bulbs and household batteries in the recycling containers located in the Customer Service/Returns Department.
How do you dispose of burned out LED bulbs?
Big-box stores like Lowes, Home Depot, and IKEA may offer in-store recycling bins where you can drop off your old LED light bulbs. Contact your local store for details. Many municipal safety departments offer both LED and CFL recycling on specific days or at set locations. Check with your city.
How do I dispose of fluorescent light bulbs in San Diego?
The City of San Diego accepts fluorescent lamps/bulbs, compact fluorescent lightbulbs (CFLs) and light-emitting diodes (LEDs) at their HHW Transfer Facility by appointment only. Incandescent light bulbs do not contain toxic chemicals, so you may dispose of them with your regular trash.
What does PCB look like?
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are a group of manmade chemicals. They are oily liquids or solids, clear to yellow in color, with no smell or taste. PCBs are very stable mixtures that are resistant to extreme temperature and pressure.
Do all fluorescent light ballasts contain PCBs?
First of all, not all fluorescent light ballasts contain PCB. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) banned the manufacture of PCB in 1978. Thus, all light ballasts manufactured thereafter should not contain PCB.
Do they still make t12 bulbs?
High-output and high-CRI T12s are still manufactured today, but production is down. Second, magnetic ballasts – which conventional T12s require to run – are no longer manufactured in the U.S.
How are fluorescent tubes recycled?
How are fluorescent tubes recycled? Fluorescent tubes are shipped to a bulb recycler that uses special machines to extract the mercury and breaks down the aluminum caps and glass casing. Aluminum is recycled as scrap metal, and the glass is downcycled into materials like concrete or ceramic tile.
