Quick Facts:
- Due to mercury concerns, non-residential facilities are required to recycle their fluorescent bulbs by the Connecticut Dept. of Environmental Protection
- Crushing fluorescent bulbs is not allowed in Connecticut
- Prepaid bulb recycling by mail is allowed in Connecticut
Recycling Options Available in Connecticut:
EasyPak Recycling Containers
Fill up containers with bulbs, ballasts, batteries, or e-waste at your own pace and ship out via prepaid FedEx
Bulk Recycling Pickups
For larger amounts of bulbs, ballasts, batteries, or e-waste. Trucks come pick up waste at your location for recycling
Questions about recycling in your state? Contact us for more information.
Detailed Connecticut Fluorescent Bulb Recycling Regulations
The stringency table below provides examples of state regulations compared to the EPA regulations.
We strongly recommend that you discuss stringency with your primary state regulatory contact. This information should not be interpreted as definitive legal guidance. This document was produced in June 2004, and we do not guarantee its accuracy after that date, as state policies may change at any time.
("same" means the state policy is the same as the federal policy)
| Jurisdiction |
Generator Exemption (CESQG) |
Where can waste from CESQG go? | Can the waste be declared non- hazardous, based on TCLP? | Other stringency or exemptions? |
| Federal EPA | Generators producing less than 100 kg (220 pounds) of hazardous waste (HW) or 1 kg acute HW in each month, including all HW generated. CESQGs are exempt from federal rules, but not exempt from liability (40 CFR 261.5) | Waste may go to any Municipal Solid Waste Landfill (MSWLF) | Wastes that test less than 0.2mg/l soluble mercury are not considered hazardous under federal rules. | Crushing can only be done by generator (40 CFR 262.34); crushed waste that is not UW- must be managed as RCRA HW. Crushing not allowed within federal UWR, but may be within State UW regulations. No one may crush third-party lamps without treatment authorization [1]. No mobile treatment units. |
| Connecticut | No CESQG exemption | Waste must go to RCRA Sub-C facility or state equivalent | No, the waste cannot be declared non-hazardous. | No crushing by anyone without permit. |
State Regulatory Contacts
| Primary Contact | Title | Agency Address | Phone | |
| Tom Metzner | Environmental Analyst |
Department of Environmental Protection 79 Elm St Hartford, CT 06106 |
(860) 424-3242 | tom.metzner@po.state.ct.us |
| Secondary Contact | Title | Phone | Area of Responsibility | |
| Maryanne Haverstock | Waste Engineering and Enforcement Division | (860) 424-3347 | Works on regulatory development and enforcement | |
| Paul Franson | Environmental Analyst | (860) 424-3565 | Enforcement | |
| Mercury Hotline | (877) 537-2488 | Helps manufacturers to comply with the Mercury Education and Reduction Act | ||
| Compliance Assistance Hotline | 1-888-424-4193 | Available 24 hours per day | ||
More Resources
| Fluorescent Lamp Disposal Rules | http://www.cga.ct.gov/2004/rpt/2004-R-0778.htm |
| Department of Environmental Protection Homepage | http://www.dep.state.ct.us |
[1] Crushing lamps intentionally is considered ōtreatmentö of a hazardous waste. Regulations allow generators, in some cases, to treat their own waste without having to get permits or authorization from their states. No one, however, is allowed to treat someone elseÆs hazardous waste without specific authorization and/or permitting from the state. Commercial lamp recyclers treat lamps during the recycling process and are usually considered ōDestination Facilitiesö subject to permitting. Generators who treat their own lamps may do so, but when they do the lamps lose their ōUniversal Wasteö status and are considered fully-regulated hazardous waste, subject to numerous more stringent federal standards than Universal Wastes. Unless a state policy allows generators to crush and still manage as UW, generators who crush are subjecting themselves to increased costs and regulatory burden. EPA has not approved any portable or mobile crushing technologies.