GreenCampus

November 14, 2008

Kristine Spence, with FMD, operates the bulb eater

The mercury in one, four-foot fluorescent light tube (about 23 mg) can contaminate 30,000 litres of water, according to Environment Canada.

The university is currently retrofitting the campus with energy efficient lights, but what happens to thousands and thousands of old, fluorescent tubes?

In the spring, the U of S purchased a ‘bulb eater’ to recycle and properly dispose of fluorescent tubes and the harmful mercury and phosphorous found inside.

The bulb eater works exactly like you’d expect - by eating it. The machine instantly crushes the glass tube and sucks up the chemicals within. There are three filters for catching over 99.9 per cent of the mercury and phosphorous, which is then re-used for the production of new bulbs. The glass is used in the production of highway paint, providing the reflective properties, and the metal is melted down and re-used as well. 

If you know of an initiative to make the U of S a greener campus, please email us at ocn@usask.ca.