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Treatment of mercurial waste

Fluorescent tubes, economy lamps and other fluorescent lamps contain mercury and fluorescent powder, which are hazardous waste materials that need professional treatment.

 

Recycling

In the advanced treatment plant of Indaver Relight, straight fluorescent tubes and gas discharge lamps can be efficiently recycled. The lamps are crushed and separated into glass, mercury powder and other materials. The recyclable glass is re-used for the production of new lamps or recovered (energy production). The mercury powder is treated ecologically. Scrap is recycled by the steel industry. 

Other mercury containing waste such as batteries, thermometers, mercury amalgams and mercury switches can also be treated in this installation.

Treatment

End-cut/air-push

In the end-cut/push-air unit, Indaver treats straight fluorescent lamps. A perforation flame breaks the vacuum. The capsule cutter removes the ends of the fluorescent tube. By selective air injection the mercury containing fluorescent powder is blown out of the glass tube. The empty glass tubes pass through a metal detector, are crushed and collected in big bags.

 

Cut-sieve

The other types of fluorescent lamp are supplied in boxes that travel by conveyor belt to a tilting station where they are emptied in a compacting unit. The cut ends of the straight fluorescent tubes are also deposited in the cut-sieve unit. A magnet separates the ferrous materials. Finally a sieve separates the glass, the other materials and the fluorescent powder. If necessary, the glass, the iron and the metal may again be purified at a temperature of 200 °C.

 

Mercury distillation

Mercury is removed from button batteries, mercury thermometers and mercury switches by distillation at a temperature of 600 °C.