As regulations have begun to kick in to improve the efficiency of traditional incandescent lightbulbs sold in Canada, UWindsor is doing its part to make sure that fluorescent lightbulbs used throughout campus receive safe handling and recycling through the Chemical Control Centre (CCC).

“All fluorescent tubes on campus come to the CCC to be sent for recycling. Many contain small quantities of mercury which can be recycled at their end-of-life,” says Sherri Menard, manager of environmental health and safety.

Menard says the centre recycles various sizes and types of mercury-containing bulbs through a recycling  company which has more than 20 years of experience in recycling lamps and equipment containing mercury.

The company recycles more than 10 million lightbulbs each year and operates an approved mercury recovery and recycling system in Canada.  Recycling rates of nearly 100 percent of the original contents—including glass, mercury, and metal components—has been a major selling point for an institution as large as UWindsor.

 “Mercury-containing bulbs do not go to landfills, which is important to us in terms of environmental responsibility,” says Menard. “We know that fluorescent bulbs help save energy, but they do contain a small amount of mercury, so we have to be sure they are being handled safely.”

Find more information on the centre’s mission and goals on its website.

Editor’s note: This is the third in a series of articles celebrating the University’s environmental stewardship, leading up to Earth Day, April 22.