LampRecycling.com Blog
Welcome to the LampRecycling.com blog. Here you can find the latest industry and company news, read expert opinions on a variety of topics, and see other unique items that catch our attention. Feel free to join the conversation!
60 Minutes Covers the Dangers of Improper E-Waste Disposal
Saturday, July 28, 2012
Electronics can do much good, from helping us accomplish facility management tasks more efficiently to keeping us in touch with faraway friends and family. But these benefits come with a drawback--the devices work only through the use of components that contain hazardous elements.
After they outlive their usefulness, electronics need to be recycled in order to prevent causing harm to human health and the environment from the hazardous materials they can contain. But even when spent electronics are transferred to an organization that claims to recycle e-waste, the materials sometimes never make it to the recycling center.
This video and article from 60 Minutes detail the dangerous consequences that can result when e-waste is illegally diverted from proper processing at a recycling center by illegitimate handlers of e-waste, and shipped elsewhere for dumping. The report is an informative look at an important topic, and a good reminder about the importance of recycling e-waste with reliable, certified handlers.
Air Cycle Corporation is committed to handling electronic waste responsibly. All waste recycled through the EasyPak™ program is processed at permitted recycling facilities in the United States—nothing is shipped overseas.
Learn more about our partner recycling centers »
View the 60 Minutes report »
Introducing, Facts for FAQs
Friday, July 27, 2012
Today, I'm introducing a fun, helpful new feature to the LampRecycling.com Blog:
Facts for FAQs.
Each month, I'll include an answer (a "fact") to a question that gets asked a lot about EasyPak™, recycling, or regulations in the hope of keeping our readers informed and knowledgeable about these topics.
If you have a question you'd like to see answered, don't hesitate to
submit it here to email me (dan@aircycle.com) and see it featured in
Facts for FAQs!
Q. Why can't I just throw my fluorescent lamps in the trash?
A. Lamps contain mercury, and are in most cases considered hazardous. Because trashing lamps can cause harm to the environment and pose a health risk to facility workers, most states do not allow hazardous lamps to be disposed of in solid waste landfills. |
No More E-Waste in Landfills for Feds
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
A new directive from the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) outlines new rules that ban all federal agencies from disposing of electronic waste in landfills.
Electronics affected by the policy include mobile phones, computer equipment, and copy and fax machines, among others. As a whole, the federal government is the largest consumer of electronics in the nation.
In place of throwing away used electronics, I recommend that our federal government agencies give our EasyPak™ Electronics Recycling Container a try. The box holds 69 pounds of e-waste, and includes prepaid return shipping for recycling after it's filled and an online Certificate of Recycling for proof of compliance with the new GSA rules.
View EasyPak™ Electronics Recycling Container »
Why Kermit the Frog Was Wrong
Monday, July 23, 2012
As Kermit the Frog once said, "It's not easy being green"...and today some facility managers feel the same way. Whether it's recycling waste or upgrading to energy efficient lighting, sometimes green facility practices can seem like they just aren't worth the expense and hassle.
The problem with that logic is that green facility practices often actually are worth it, returning benefits like cost-savings, increased facility safety, and positive PR on the investment, not to mention doing your part toward environmental sustainability.
And as for the hassle of recycling waste, well, EasyPak™ eliminates it! From fluorescent lamps to batteries to electronic waste, EasyPak™ provides a comprehensive, convenient recycling program designed to simplify the recycling process.
Each EasyPak™ container includes prepaid return shipping, an online Certificate of Recycling, and online Recycling Reports to track your recycling efforts. And if you enroll your container in the Sustainable Program, a replacement will be automatically reordered and shipped to your facility after the original container has been recycled: no more paperwork or worry about reordering containers!
With EasyPak™, I'd say being green is pretty easy after all!
Learn more about recycling with EasyPak™ or
get your program started »
Recycling Roundtable: Three FMs Weigh In
Friday, July 20, 2012
Often, the best source of insight into a topic comes from those who experience it firsthand, and the same is true about facility recycling. But without firsthand experience, the next best way to learn is probably from someone who has it.
This article from Maintenance Solutions brings together three facility managers from across the country to discuss their real-world experience with goal-setting, cost considerations, and the challenges of starting and running a recycling program.
Continue reading »
Energy Efficiency: How Does Your Facility Stack Up?
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Today, energy efficiency is both a popular and important topic in facility management. Growing awareness and concern about the environmental impact of commercial facilities coupled with the potential for cost-savings from energy efficiency in an era of tight facility budgets have combined to make the pursuit of energy efficiency a primary goal for many FMs.
But knowing how your facility is doing when it comes to energy efficiency isn't always simple. One easy-to-use and meaningful way to do so is using the Portfolio Manager energy efficiency benchmarking tool from Energy Star, described in
this article from GreenBiz. Portfolio Manager is a free online tool that allows FMs to plug in data from their facility to see how they compare to similar facilities on energy efficiency.
Whether you're just getting your facility's energy efficiency initiative off the ground or manage a well-developed energy efficiency program, this tool can help you learn how your facility stacks up against your peers and general energy-efficiency standards.
Read the article »
View the Portfolio Manager tool »
Air Cycle Corporate Accounts Moves to "Green"-er Pastures
Friday, July 13, 2012
Air Cycle provides comprehensive corporate EasyPak™ recycling programs for the likes of Marriott Hotels, Whole Foods, and CBRE. These programs are managed by our Corporate Accounts team, consisting of Ken Campbell and Brian Hughes.
The team recently got a new home in Fox River Grove, IL, setting up shop in offices in Fox Valley Engineering's environmentally-friendly, recently renovated building. The award-winning building uses high-efficiency HVAC, lighting, and boiler systems along with natural ventilation to remake an old warehouse into a "green" office space.
Read more about the building »
We Know All About Recycling Lamps, But How Are They Made?
Thursday, July 12, 2012
At Air Cycle, we talk a lot about end-of-life for fluorescent lamps, and how important it is to properly manage and dispose of spent lamps by recycling them. But ever wonder how lamps are made?
The fascinating process of tube fluorescent lamp manufacturing--which involves liquid glass, diamond-tipped cutters, and 1300 degree heat--is documented in this video from National Geographic. The video also explains how fluorescent lamps work.
Learn how lamps are recycled »
New Employee Profile: Gary Casola
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Air Cycle is proud to welcome its newest member, Account Executive Gary Casola. Originally from the Northeast, Gary joins Air Cycle from Dawsonville, GA.
Gary enjoys spending time with his wife,
Shannon, and son Levi, as well as the occasional game of ice hockey. We're glad he's joined our team, and we're sure that he'll do a great job caring for our customers. Welcome aboard, Gary!
Reports Make Tracking and Proving Recycling A Cinch
Saturday, July 7, 2012
The
online EasyPak™ tools available at LampRecycling.com, including Certificates of Recycling, Container Tracking, the Sustainable Program, and Recycling Reports, come complimentary with the purchase of any EasyPak container, and make it simple to manage your recycling program from one centralized online account.
The Recycling Reports tool enables EasyPak users to access live, visual reporting of the amounts of waste recycled at your facility. With the reports, facility managers can track progress, set goals, and support green marketing initiatives.
Another EasyPak feature that simplifies program management is the
Sustainable Program. After any full EasyPak container enrolled in the program is shipped and processed, a replacement container is automatically reordered and sent to the facility, minimizing paperwork and ensuring that a facility always has recycling containers on-hand.
How it works » EasyPak™ Sustainable Program
Electronics Recycling to Skyrocket, According to Forecast
Friday, July 6, 2012
A recent report from Pike Research, a leading cleantech research firm, indicates that the recycling and reuse of electronics is set to dramatically increase through 2025. While most scrap electronics today are buried, incinerated, or dumped, by 2025 the rate of electronics recycling will more than double to 54%, according to the report.
A key factor behind the increase is the adoption of corporate social responsibility and sustainability programs by businesses. Kudos if your facility is currently recycling spent electronics...it looks like everyone else will soon be catching up!
Read Business Wire article on the report »
Air Cycle Crushers Join Lisle Softball League
Thursday, July 5, 2012
As someone once said in reference to Air Cycle manufacturing the Bulb Eater®, "if you build it, they will crush." This summer, Air Cycle has harnessed that spirit to field its first-ever team playing Chicago-style, 16" softball in Lisle!
The
Air Cycle Crushers, as we're known on the diamond, lead the league in style, heart, and bats made from fluorescent lamps, as can be seen from these photos.
With a roster filled with talented "green" monsters of both the playing field and the recycling industry, Air Cycle is well-situated for a winning season in 2012!
View more photos »
Colorado Enacts New E-Waste Law
Sunday, July 1, 2012
Just in time for the observance of Earth Day this year, Colorado's governor John Hickenlooper signed a new e-waste bill into law.
According to
this article in the Pueblo Chieftain, the new law bans the disposal of electronic waste in landfills, and requires the state of Colorado to recycle its e-waste.
Many electronics contain materials that can pose harm to the environment when not properly disposed of.
Read full article »
