Manage fluorescent lights properly Published Feb. 19, 2008 By Kristin Nester 92nd Civil Engineer Squadron FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. -- Fluorescent lighting is used in almost every Fairchild building to provide proper lighting for a variety of activities in support of our mission. Lighting is something we all take for granted until we lose electricity or a light burns out. Team Fairchild replaces more than 4,000 lights of varying shapes and sizes each year in our work areas. This presents a challenge as the burned out lights can not be disposed of in dumpsters or as normal garbage. Fluorescent light tubes contain mercury and thus are classified as "universal waste." In all work areas, used lamps must be managed properly to ensure compliance with Washington Administrative Code 173-303-573, 'Standards for Universal Waste Management'. They must be stored in a container in good shape that is closed and marked "Universal Waste Lamp(s)." A start date must be placed on the container at the time the first used lamp is placed into the container. Containers need to be delivered to building 2411 when full or prior to one year of accumulation based on the start date. Broken lamps must be separated, containerized, labeled and also taken to building 2411. The base is slowly transitioning to fluorescent lights which contain lower levels of mercury - easily identifiable by their green ends. While the green-tipped light tubes are easier and cheaper for the base to dispose, they still do not belong in the dumpsters and should be collected in the same manner as the other tubes and brought to building 2411 for processing. For more information on proper collection and disposal of fluorescent light tubes, contact Paul DeRocker at 247-4678.