Dive Brief:
- Recycling mercury from items like light bulbs and thermostats would be required if a bill in Massachusetts is signed.
- The new law would require manufacturers of light bulbs and thermostats with facilities in Massachusetts to pay $10,000 towards a recycling program, and provide access to recycling containers for wholesalers and contractors.
- Environmentalists are making noise about the legislation, saying it doesn't protect natural resources such as waterways.
Dive Insight:
Mercury production was banned from the state, although environmental groups say thousands of used thermostats are still being used across Massachusetts. The groups say since the mercury is not required to be recycled, thermostats are discarded at landfills, leading to contamination of the area and a release of hazardous toxins into the environment.
The updated regulations would replace a law signed in 2006 that required manufacturers to hit recycling benchmarks that have not been met and put money toward recycling initiatives that the state failed to collect. If the new bill is passed, recycled mercury would be required to be stored in hazardous waste facilities or returned to the manufacturer.