Quick Facts:
- Due to mercury concerns, recycling fluorescent bulbs is highly recommended by the Maryland Dept. of Environment and is required for many facilities throughout the state
- Crushing fluorescent bulbs is allowed in Maryland
- Crushed bulbs are considered universal waste in Maryland
- Prepaid bulb recycling by mail is allowed in Maryland
Recycling Options Available in Maryland:
The Bulb Eater
Crushes fluorescent lamps of any size while removing mercury vapors. Reduces labor, recycling costs, and storage vs. packing lamps
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 Maryland Fluorescent Bulb Recycling Regulations
The stringency chart 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)
Confused about terminology (CESQG, UW, TCLP, etc.)? Refer to this glossary for help.
| 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.. |
| Maryland | CESQGs are considered small quantity generators if the amount of HW is less than 100kg per month and less than 1kg acute HW per month. SQGs may not accumulate more than these amounts at any time. |
MSWF are prohibited from accepting any HW, including from SQGs. Therefore all hazardous lamps must go to destination facilities |
same | Allows crushing by generator as UW, provided the requirements of Code of Maryland Regulations 26.13.10.15B(3) are met. |
State Regulatory Contacts
| Primary Contact | Title | Agency Address | Phone | |
| Mr. Edward Hammerberg | Chief, Regulations/ Permitting Division |
Maryland Department of Environment, Waste Management 1800 Washington Blvd, Suite 645 Baltimore, MD 21230 |
(410) 537-3345 | ehammerberg@mde.state.md.us |
| Secondary Contact | Title | Phone | Area of Responsibility | |
| Mr. Caj Didigu | Chief, Tracking/Certification Division | (410) 537-3344 | ||
| Main MDE # | 1-800-633-6101 (Only Within State) Ask operator to be transferred to desired extension | |||
| National Spills Emergency Hotline | 1-800-424-8802 | |||
More Resources
| Universal Waste Rule Notice 11/02 | http://www.mde.state.md.us/Programs/LandPrograms/Hazardous_Waste/univ_waste.asp |
| Maryland Department of the Environment | http://www.mde.state.md.us/ |
| Regulations Page | http://www.dsd.state.md.us/ |
| Mercury Page | http://www.mde.state.md.us/Programs/LandPrograms/Hazardous_Waste/... |
[1] Crushing lamps intentionally is considered treatment 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 else's hazardous waste without specific authorization and/or permitting from the state. Commercial lamp recyclers treat lamps during the recycling process and are usually considered Destination Facilities subject to permitting. Generators who treat their own lamps may do so, but when they do the lamps lose their Universal Waste 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.