Determining heavy metals in spent compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) and their waste management challenges: Some strategies for improving current conditions

• Published in: Waste management (Elmsford) 2014-07, Vol.34 (7), p.1251-1256
• Main Authors: Taghipour, Hassan, Amjad, Zahra, Jafarabadi, Mohamad Asghari, Gholampour, Akbar, Nowrouz, Parviz
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: AIR POLLUTION ABATEMENT; Applied sciences; ARSENIC; Challenges; CHROMIUM; Electronic Waste - analysis; Environmental Monitoring; Environmental Pollutants - analysis; ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES; Exact sciences and technology; FLUORESCENT LAMPS; General treatment and storage processes; Global environmental pollution; GREENHOUSE GASES; HEAVY METALS; Household Articles; ICP MASS SPECTROSCOPY; IRAN; Lamps; LEAD; Management; MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE WASTES, AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES; MERCURY; Mercury (metal); Metals, Heavy - analysis; MUNICIPAL WASTES; NICKEL; Other wastes and particular components of wastes; Pollution; RECYCLING; SERVICE LIFE; Spent compact fluorescent lamps; Strategies; TOXICITY; Urban and domestic wastes; URBAN AREAS; WASTE MANAGEMENT; Wastes
• ISSN: 0956-053X; 1879-2456
• DOI: 10.1016/j.wasman.2014.03.010

•Heavy metals in spent compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) determined.•Current waste management condition of CFLs in Iran assessed.•Currently, waste of CFLs is disposed by municipal waste stream in waste landfills.•We propose extended producer responsibility (EPR) for CFLs waste management. From environmental viewpoint, the most important advantage of compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) is reduction of green house gas emissions. But their significant disadvantage is disposal of spent lamps because of containing a few milligrams of toxic metals, especially mercury and lead. For a successful implementation of any waste management plan, availability of sufficient and accurate information on quantities and compositions of the generated waste and current management conditions is a fundamental prerequisite. In this study, CFLs were selected among 20 different brands in Iran. Content of heavy metals including mercury, lead, nickel, arsenic and chromium was determined by inductive coupled plasma (ICP). Two cities, Tehran and Tabriz, were selected for assessing the current waste management condition of CFLs. The study found that waste generation amount of CFLs in the country was about 159.80, 183.82 and 153.75 million per year in 2010, 2011 and 2012, respectively. Waste generation rate of CFLs in Iran was determined to be 2.05 per person in 2012. The average amount of mercury, lead, nickel, arsenic and chromium was 0.417, 2.33, 0.064, 0.056 and 0.012mg per lamp, respectively. Currently, waste of CFLs is disposed by municipal waste stream in waste landfills. For improving the current conditions, we propose by considering the successful experience of extended producer responsibility (EPR) in other electronic waste management. The EPR program with advanced recycling fee (ARF) is implemented for collecting and then recycling CFLs. For encouraging consumers to take the spent CFLs back at the end of the products’ useful life, a proportion of ARF (for example, 50%) can be refunded. On the other hand, the government and Environmental Protection Agency should support and encourage recycling companies of CFLs both technically and financially in the first place.