State & Local Laws
Massachusetts
All Massachusetts businesses, facilities, schools, government agencies and even households are affected by the Mercury Management Act that bans mercury-containing lamps from landfills and incinerators, in effect since May 1, 2008. Businesses should store unbroken spent lamps in a box or fiber drum labeled "Universal Waste - Spent Fluorescent Lamps," and keep the container in a secure area. Lamps can then be collected by or delivered to an authorized lamp recycler within one year. Household lamps can be brought to municipal household hazardous waste facilities or other collection locations. Contact your municipality or use Earth911 search utility on this site to locate a community or retail location near you.
FACTS
- Fluorescent, compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs), high intensity discharge (HID) lamps, and some neon lighting lamps contain small amounts of mercury and are identified with the symbol
. - The new law covers all these mercury-containing lamps, including the "low mercury" lamps with green markings.
- If you choose not to follow these new rules, you may be subject to a fine of up to $25,000 per violation per day by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP).
What do you Need to know if you are ...
- Building Owner and Facility Manager
- State and Local Government Agency
- Wholesale Electrical Distributor & Retailer
- Contractor who Installs and Services Building Lighting
- Member of the Solid Waste Industry
- Specifier of Energy-efficient Lighting
- Household/consumer
- Environmental Group
Education and Outreach Materials
- Mercury Lamp Recycling Brochure
- Recycling Presentation 2008
- Point of Sale Hg Lamp Collateral
- Mercury Lamp Recycling Poster
- Updated Education Plan