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Re: Glass disposal

Posted By: SVP Neon Equipment
Date: Saturday, 29 December 2012, at 1:16 p.m.

In Response To: Glass disposal (Ron White)

> Any suggestions for disposal of scrap glass?
> Are there generally regs against normal
> trash disposal vs. recycling? I know a lot
> of shops do not repair broken mercury filled
> tubes, however many here do. Any comments
> would be great.

Tubes that do not contain Hg are not a problem. You can take them to a recycling center that handles glass, or they can go in the land fill: There is nothing toxic in them. If your area has a recycling pick up, cut the units into small pieces and put them in the glass recycling container for normal pick up.

This is just one suggestion regarding mercury tubes: Some shops require their customer to provide them with a full pattern of the unit to be repaired. Then the neon shop makes a new unit. The customer never brings the broken mercury unit to the neon shop. That way the customer is responsible for disposal. It is typically easier that way because the customer *should* have a recycling container for disposal of old fluorescent lamps from service calls. If the customer brings the broken Hg unit to you for you to make the pattern, be sure they take it with them when they leave.

If you are actually going to repair Hg units rather than remake them, you will need a recycling container for fluorescent lamps, and I strongly suggest the appropriate liability insurance coverage for such things. All this may not be as simple as it sounds depending on your state, county and city ordinances as well as EPA regulations.

Unless it is an exceptionally rare piece that for whatever reason should not or cannot be remade, in the long run remaking Hg units is by far the best choice. And this is just from a liability standpoint and doesn't even consider the toxicity of doing a repair.

Mark

SVP Neon Equipment

Messages In This Thread

• Glass disposal -- Ron White -- Saturday, 29 December 2012, at 4:44 a.m.
  • Re: Glass disposal -- SVP Neon Equipment -- Saturday, 29 December 2012, at 1:16 p.m.

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