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

gail.savina@metrokc.gov

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

gail.savina@metrokc.gov

King County facts

• Population = 1,710,000

• Landfills solid waste

• Land applies biosolids

• County regulates CESQG waste

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

Dental Project: 1991- present

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

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.

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)

AdsAds focus on keeping dental waste out of the ‘red bag.’ This ad runs each month in the local dental journal.

EnviroStars

More than 50 dentists were certified by the county as EnviroStars and promoted in the media.

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

Amalgam waste disposal, 1999-2000

% illegally disposed

Amalgam scrap (n = 160) 27

Chairside traps (n = 172) 53

Vacuum pump filters (n = 143) 56

Amalgam separators installed, ‘94-’00

0

200

400

600

800

1000

94 95 96 97 98 99 2000

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.

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 --->

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%

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.

Fluorescent Lamp Recycling

1999 -present

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

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

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

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

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.

Fluorescent lamp recycling project

Tools

• Visits

• Vouchers

• Web site

• Outreach: articles, ads and workshops

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%

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

Fluorescent lamp recycling project

Contact for lamp project:

Susan McDonald

Local Hazardous Waste Management Program in King County

206-263-3059

susan.mcdonald@metrokc.gov

Web site: www.metrokc.gov/hazwaste/fluor