To increase recycling of universal wastes such as lamps, ballasts, batteries and other products that contain hazardous substances, Covanta and Veolia have partnered to make Veolia’s RecyclePak program available to businesses, consumers and cities.
Universal waste is material designated as hazardous waste but containing materials that are very common.
While the majority of a mercury-containing lamp can be recycled, according to the Association of Lighting and Mercury Recyclers, only 24 percent of the some 600 million mercury-containing lamps that are discarded each year are properly recycled in accordance with applicable state and federal regulations. By separating products into their components and reusing the components and by-products, businesses and consumers are reducing waste, diverting waste from landfills, saving energy and conserving resources.
The RecyclePak program ensures compliance while making recycling easy for consumers and businesses. Covanta’s customers can purchase a container from covanta.veoliaes.com, place their universal waste into it and then ship it to one of Veolia’s recycling centers using a prepaid shipping label.
