Breaking the Mercury Cycle Session 7: Collection Programs for Mercury-Added Products - May 2, 2002 -...
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![Page 1: Breaking the Mercury Cycle Session 7: Collection Programs for Mercury-Added Products - May 2, 2002 - Boston, MA Gail Savina Communications Specialist Local.](https://reader035.fdocuments.in/reader035/viewer/2022070306/5519e544550346d67b8b499e/html5/thumbnails/1.jpg)
Breaking the Mercury CycleSession 7: Collection Programs for Mercury-Added Products - May 2, 2002 - Boston, MA
Gail Savina
Communications Specialist
Local Hazardous Waste Management Program in King County - www.metrokc.gov/hazwaste/
130 Nickerson St. #100 Seattle, WA 98109
206-263-3062
![Page 2: Breaking the Mercury Cycle Session 7: Collection Programs for Mercury-Added Products - May 2, 2002 - Boston, MA Gail Savina Communications Specialist Local.](https://reader035.fdocuments.in/reader035/viewer/2022070306/5519e544550346d67b8b499e/html5/thumbnails/2.jpg)
Managing Mercury Waste in King County, Washington 1991 - 2001
Local Hazardous Waste Management Program in King County
www.metrokc.gov/hazwaste/
Gail Savina
206-263-3062
![Page 3: Breaking the Mercury Cycle Session 7: Collection Programs for Mercury-Added Products - May 2, 2002 - Boston, MA Gail Savina Communications Specialist Local.](https://reader035.fdocuments.in/reader035/viewer/2022070306/5519e544550346d67b8b499e/html5/thumbnails/3.jpg)
King County facts
• Population = 1,710,000
• Landfills solid waste
• Land applies biosolids
• County regulates CESQG waste
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Local Hazardous Waste Management Program in King County
• Funded by surcharge on sewer and garbage accounts (household and commercial); $10 million/year
• Sophisticated communication tools - ads, radio, print• Technical assistance visits - 30 field staff• Business recognition program: EnviroStars• Voucher rebate program
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Dental Project: 1991- present
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Background: 1991 - 1994
• Problem: mercury spikes - early ‘90’s
• Findings: 1500 dentists discharge 14% of mercury entering WWTP, or 50 lb/yr. (Current estimate is 40 - 60%).
• Solution: propose local rule mandating amalgam separation equipment
• Upshot: strong resistance results in voluntary program to promote separators and proper management of amalgam
![Page 7: Breaking the Mercury Cycle Session 7: Collection Programs for Mercury-Added Products - May 2, 2002 - Boston, MA Gail Savina Communications Specialist Local.](https://reader035.fdocuments.in/reader035/viewer/2022070306/5519e544550346d67b8b499e/html5/thumbnails/7.jpg)
Barriers to behavior change
• Knowledge: dentists think that amalgam waste = infectious waste.
• Norms: “No one else has a separator.”
• Infrastructure: no haulers are willing to service dentists.
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Voluntary Program, 1994-2000
• Provide information - e.g. poster, ads• Work with local dental society and waste haulers• Promote EnviroStars-ceritified dentists• Work with dental supply houses, dental
assistants and hygienists• Use voucher rebate money to stimulate spending• Do technical assistance visits (currently 600)
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AdsAds focus on keeping dental waste out of the ‘red bag.’ This ad runs each month in the local dental journal.
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EnviroStars
More than 50 dentists were certified by the county as EnviroStars and promoted in the media.
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Summary of voluntary phase
• Ran 7 years
• Cost ? $20,000 - $50,000/year?
• Involved county staff, dental society, dental supply houses, colleges
• Goal: 100 amalgam separators installed (1000 potential offices)
• Goal: majority of offices use proper BMPs for scrap amalgam, chairside traps and pump filters
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Amalgam waste disposal, 1999-2000
% illegally disposed
Amalgam scrap (n = 160) 27
Chairside traps (n = 172) 53
Vacuum pump filters (n = 143) 56
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Amalgam separators installed, ‘94-’00
0
200
400
600
800
1000
94 95 96 97 98 99 2000
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Mandatory program: 2001 - present• King County local discharge limits for mercury = 0.2 ppm
• July 2000: letter to all dental offices discharging to King County WWTP Deadline: July 1, 2002 for new officesJuly 1, 2003 for existing offices
• What it means: office must a) install amalgam separator or prove it meets limits without a separator; b) follow BMPs for amalgam waste.
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July - Dec 2001
• No resistance from local dental society (despite pressure from state association and ADA)
• Society-sponsored dinner and trade show showcasing approved amalgam separators (Nov 01). “Sold out.”
• County approved 8 amalgam separators
• Purchase of amalgam separators --->
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Amalgam separators installed, 95-01King Co. dental offices
# offices cumul. # % incr.
1995 - 1999 25 25 --
2000 2 27 8%
Jan 01 - June 01 5 32 19%
Letter mailed June 01
July 01 - Dec 01 47 79 193%
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What did we learn?Regulations alone generate resistance. Voluntary program alone is not sufficient. In this case, the voluntary program laid groundwork for acceptance of mandated (regulated) behavior.
Office visits + voucher rebates have biggest effect in persuading dentists to purchase separators.
Information alone was not sufficient.
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Fluorescent Lamp Recycling
1999 -present
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Project rationale: Why lamps?
• Opportunistic: State adds lamps to Universal Waste - May 2000
• Feasibility: solution to the problem exists• Demand: property managers cite lamps as one of
top three wastes• Strategic: lamp initiative offers chance to build
alliances
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Extent of problemUse figures for total lamps manufactured in US and EPA disposal estimates. Based on King County population ratios:
• 3.6 - 5 million waste lamps/year• 3 million (80%) go to landfill• 147 - 330 lbs mercury from
lamps go to solid waste stream each year
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Fluorescent lamp recycling project
First step: coordinated regulatory approach
Pull together a task force of those involved:
Regulators - state and countyLandfill operators (city and county)Waste HaulersLighting contractors/facility managersLamp recyclers and manufacturersUtilities
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Fluorescent lamp recycling project
Key audiences
• Electric utilities: piggyback lamp recycling onto utility lighting retrofit project
• Lighting contractors• Property and facility
managers• CESQGs doing retrofits
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Fluorescent lamp recycling project
Barriers to behavior change
• Habit: 90% don’t recycle lamps• Cost• Lack of knowledge• Mixed messages• Confusion about vendors• Lack of enforcement• Universal Waste Rule doesn’t
automatically change behavior.
![Page 24: Breaking the Mercury Cycle Session 7: Collection Programs for Mercury-Added Products - May 2, 2002 - Boston, MA Gail Savina Communications Specialist Local.](https://reader035.fdocuments.in/reader035/viewer/2022070306/5519e544550346d67b8b499e/html5/thumbnails/24.jpg)
Fluorescent lamp recycling project
Tools
• Visits
• Vouchers
• Web site
• Outreach: articles, ads and workshops
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Fluorescent lamp recycling project
Results: Lamps recycled by two recycling firms:
2000 2001 % growth
4 ft 658,614 884,043 34%
8 ft 96,492 116,958 21%
All 755,106 1,001,001 33%
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Fluorescent lamp recycling project
What did we learn?
Regulations alone aren’t sufficient, especially if they aren’t enforced.
Office visits + voucher rebates have biggest effect in persuading small businesses to recyle lamps
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Fluorescent lamp recycling project
Contact for lamp project:
Susan McDonald
Local Hazardous Waste Management Program in King County
206-263-3059
Web site: www.metrokc.gov/hazwaste/fluor