SB 5543 (RCW 70.275) was signed by Governor Gregoire on March 19, 2010. The bill creates a convenient, statewide recycling program for mercury-containing lighting from residents in Washington State starting in 2013. No-cost recycling services must be provided for residents in each county and, at a minimum, in every city with population greater than 10,000.
The Department of Ecology will contract with a stewardship organization to operate the recycling program (Light-Cycle Washington). The bill requires that mercury-containing lamps are recycled by all residents and by all government, industrial, and commercial facilities. Disposal of mercury-containing lights in the garbage or landfills is prohibited. For more information, visit the Department of Ecology's Mercury Lights Stewardship Program webpage.