Though you may not have known it, on October 14, 2008 important legislation was passed concerning the sale, distribution, transfer, and export of elemental mercury. This bill is called the Mercury Export Ban Act of 2008.
Our information about the recycled mercury ban can be found at Govtrack.US.
What is the goal of the Mercury Export Ban Act?
The Mercury Export Ban Act, which became law on October 14, 2008, is intended to reduce the availability of elemental mercury in domestic and international markets. By reducing the supply of elemental mercury in commerce, the Act aims to reduce the use of mercury in artisanal mining and for other commercial purposes globally.
The Act does this by prohibiting the export of elemental mercury as of January 1, 2013, and requires the Department of Energy (DOE) to designate and operate a facility (or facilities) for the purpose of long-term management and storage of elemental mercury generated in the United States. The Act also prohibits the transfer of elemental mercury held by federal agencies as of the date of enactment in order to further control the flow of elemental mercury in the domestic market.
For more information visit EPA GOV.
How does this ban affect USA Lamp & Ballast Recycling?
The laws of supply and demand tell us that with a higher supply of an item, demand declines along with the cost of the good. These same principles apply to the Mercury Export Ban as the supply of mercury will rise in the United States. Ultimately, the cost of mercury in the United States will decline as the demand for mercury diminishes.
This change in demand will affect the cost of recycling devices containing mercury. USA Lamp’s customers will maintain the same pricing for a year from the start of the ban and will be appropriately alerted notified of any these changes to their pricing caused by the Mercury Export Ban.