BulbEater Mark 2000

The Mark 2000 is one of the most sophisticated crushing units available in the marketplace today – self-contained, easy to operate, and very portable. It is designed to eliminate exposure to phosphor dust and mercury vapour from broken light tubes through a built-in carbon absorption system and particle filter, and can be used in hospitals, educational institutions, residential complexes and office buildings, as well as manufacturing, commercial and industrial sites.

The Mark 2000 is designed to alleviate safety concerns and restrict potential liabilities from the handling, storage and disposal of spent fluorescent tubes and their associated hazardous waste. With estimates of 267 million fluorescent tubes in use in Canada alone, the Government and Industry Affairs Division of the Building Owners and Managers Association International (BOMA) recently concluded that "Fluorescent lamps are hazardous...and members should be prepared to treat the waste as hazardous." However, while there are presently no federal regulations regarding the disposal of fluorescent tubes, there are strict guidelines which relate to the safe and environmentally sound disposal of mercury vapour and phosphor dust, both classified as hazardous materials. A single four foot fluorescent tube contains approximately 22.8 milligrams of mercury, and according to Environment Canada’s Chemical Industry Division, there were 26,000 tons of lamp waste disposed of in landfill sites in Canada in 1992 – which includes 2.4 tons of mercury. In addition, the United States estimates that between 500 and 550 million fluorescent tubes are disposed of annually.

Fluorescent tubes can end up in garbage dumpsters, often in cardboard containers, then are crushed or compacted and disposed of in landfill sites. This negates recycling standards in place for cardboard and also circumvents the procedure for eliminating hazardous chemical waste.

The Mark 2000 is engineered to reduce the tube’s glass and metal shards from its chemical components, collecting them in heavy duty replaceable plastic bags while filtering the mercury vapour and phosphor dust through specially designed filters. The bags hold up to 60 crushed tubes and can be safely removed, stored in 210L containers, and transported to hazardous waste disposal facilities. This also allows for greater usage of space within the often restrictive confines of maintenance departments due to the compact storage capabilities of the unit.

Traditionally, the storage of spent tubes awaiting disposal has leant itself to potential injury with regard to smashing them, either accidentally or by design. A fluorescent tube which is dropped, knocked, smashed with a hammer or thrown into a dumpster explodes with a terrific force and can shower glass fragments up to a twenty foot radius. In addition, temporary packaging of the glass shards and metal fragments in lightweight garbage bags may also subject a person to injury.

Distributed throughout North & Central America, Iceland, Europe, Australia and Asia, the Mark 2000 offers a safe, efficient and environmentally conscious alternative to the current handling of spent fluorescent lighting tubes with its innovative filtering system, motorized fragmentation technology and waste disposal packaging – leading the way toward a safer workplace and friendlier environment.