Intact Lamp Recycling Program Scores a Hat Trick How often can one solve a difficult waste disposal problem, recycle the waste into useful products, and save money--all at the same time? The Oak Ridge Reservation's Intact Lamp Recycling Program has done just that at the Oak Ridge Reservation's three Oak Ridge sites and at the Portsmouth, Ohio and the Paducah, Kentucky sites. Here's how it was done. A Mixed Waste Problem Eliminated In the past, fluorescent lamps were crushed and managed as mixed waste. Now, under a five-year contract awarded to DYNEX Environmental Corporation in June 1995, lamps are recycled into reusable glass and metal, effectively eliminating the lamps as a source of mixed waste. Waste Recycled into New Products When DYNEX receives the lamps for processing, aluminum end caps, insulators, and wires are separated from the glass, then melted for reuse. The glass is used in concrete, fiberglass insulation, or non-food-use glass products. Another process extracts and captures the mercury from the lamps for reuse. $$$ Saved More than 160,000 lamps have been recycled since the first shipment on July 20, 1995, with associated savings of approximately $820,000. The estimated number of lamps to be recycled annually is 80,000, representing a savings of $377,000 per year. Intact Bulb Recycling Program Expanded Recently, the contract was revised to include, not only fluorescent lamps, but incandescent and high intensity discharge lamps as well. The revised contract represents an upgrade to the overall recycling program. To prepare for the new Intact Lamp Recycling Program, each of the five sites underwent a readiness review and developed a procedure for recycling the lamps. These site-specific procedures take into consideration the control handling requirements/guidance information for disposition of bulbs located in radiological control areas and ensure that the bulbs are handled/packaged properly for pickup by the recycling contractor.

Types of Intact Lamps Recycled

	Fluorescent Lamps	High Intensity Discharge Lamps
	Straight	Metal halide
	Circular	Low pressure sodium
	Compact	High pressure sodium
	U-bend	Mercury lamps
		Photochemical lamps (ultraviolet)
	Incandescent Lamps
	Household, vehicular, and traffic signal
	Tungsten, halogen, and quartz lamps
	Small electronic lamps

As of February 14, 1997, the following numbers of bulbs have been recycled: Oak Ridge National Laboratory: 44,697 Y-12 Plant: 31,983 K-25 Site: 11,911 Portsmouth, Ohio: 71,651 Total lamps recycled: 160,242 Note: The Paducah, Kentucky site plans to make a shipment of lamps for recycling in the near future. In the Spotlight. The Intact Lamp Recycling Program has been highlighted in several publications, such as Energy Systems News (Ridgeline), Roane County News, and U.S. Department of Energy Headquarters' EM Progress. Also, the Intact Lamp Recycling Program has been submitted for several awards, including the Columbus Initiative and the Second Annual White House Closing the Circle Awards Nominations. It's a Green Light. The Oak Ridge National Laboratory has recently installed some ALTO fluorescent lamps in Building 4500N on a trial basis as part of the EPA Green Lights Program that promotes the use of energy-efficient bulbs. The lamps contain 70 percent less mercury and are not considered to be a RCRA/mixed waste. Based on the performance of the ALTO lamps, they have been included in the list of fluorescent lamps for purchase by all five sites. Lamps from Your Home Can Also Be Recycled. The city of Knoxville and Knox County have recently opened the newly remodeled and expanded Solid Waste Management Facility to accept household hazardous waste. Located at 1025 Elm Street, the waste center is prepared to accept virtually any hazardous material likely to be found in a home. In addition to lamps, items accepted include paint, paint thinner, petroleum products, swimming pool chemicals, insecticides, and a variety of other products. The recycling facility is open weekdays (except Monday) from 7:00 A.M. to 3:30 P.M., and on Saturday from 8:00 a.m. to noon. For more information about the Intact Lamp Recycling Program, contact Rosa Murr, Intact Lamp Recycling Project Manager at (423) 576-2834. Earth Week Wrap Up The First Trash Bash of the Year was a Bashing Success! On Earth Day (April 22), the north-bound section of Highway 95, between Bethel Valley Road and Bear Creek Road, was cleared of trash. Twenty-one hard working volunteers braved the threat of heavy rain and thunderstorms to earn a good name for ORNL. Thirty-six bags of trash, four tires, two sign posts, and halves of two mufflers were collected by our volunteers and hauled away by the Tennessee Department of Transportation. Recycling Police Update. During Earth Week at ORNL, the Pollution Prevention Program challenged the employees to recycle properly. A name was randomly selected to be visited by the recycling police. If no recyclables were found in the employee's trash, a gift certificate for one free lunch at Mr. Gatti's in Oak Ridge was awarded to the employee. Before the police moved on, the surrounding offices or nearby areas were inspected until ten certificates were given away. Over the course of the week, buildings 4500N, 4500S, 4007, 4505, 5002, and 7601 were visited by the recycling police. Forty-seven gift certificates were given away. The following individuals were among those who passed the grueling test of the recycling police:

	Lynn Askew	Karen Harbor	Nancy J. Smith
	Jeff Barnett	Russ Johnson	Nancy R. Smith
	Millicent Clark	Ann Luffman	Lisa Starbuck
	Terry Collins	Cynthia Melton	Jerry Strandberg
	David Connor	Tina Ogle	Barbara Swails
	Mona Dockery	Bruce Owen	Francois Thumberell
	Allen Doulett	John Parrott	Linda Tunstall
	Louise Dunlap	Joel Piper	Vicky Wallace
	Vivian Evans	Tom Rosseel	Gerald Walker
	Sandy Fine	Valerie Rule	Joy Williams
	Nancy Hall	Tom Scanlan	Kathy Ann Williams
	Renae Humphrey	Carol Scott	H.R. Yook
	Sylvia Hoglund	Betty Shelton	Davis Young
	Anonymous	Richard Shoun	Dick Zeigler