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Our mission is to provide the highest level ofsafrty, and to protect public health and the environment from toxic harm. <br />Fact Sheet, January 2010 <br />Universal Waste Fact Sheet <br />California's Universal Waste Rule allows individuals and businesses to transport, handle and <br />recycle certain common hazardous wastes, termed universal wastes, in a manner that differs from <br />the requirements for most hazardous wastes. The more relaxed requirements for managing <br />universal wastes were adopted to ensure that they are managed safely and are not disposed of in <br />the trash. <br />What are Universal Wastes? <br />Universal wastes are hazardous wastes that are widely produced by households and many <br />different types of businesses. Universal wastes include televisions, computers and other <br />electronic devices as well as batteries, fluorescent lamps, mercury thermostats, and other <br />mercury containing equipment, among others. <br />The hazardous waste regulations (Cal. Code Regs, tit. 22, div. 4.5, ch. 11 section 66261.9) <br />identify seven categories of hazardous wastes that can be managed as universal wastes. Any <br />unwanted item that falls within one of these waste streams can be handled, transported and <br />recycled following the simple requirements set forth in the universal waste regulations (UWR) <br />(Cal. Code Regs, tit. 22, div. 4.5, ch. 23) <br />Universal wastes are: <br />1. Electronic devices: Includes any electronic device that is a hazardous waste (with or <br />without a Cathode Ray Tube (CRT)), including televisions, computer monitors, cell <br />phones, VCRs, computer CPUs and portable DVD players. <br />2. Batteries: Most household -type batteries, including rechargeable nickel -cadmium <br />batteries, silver button batteries, mercury batteries, alkaline batteries and other batteries <br />that exhibit a characteristic of a hazardous waste <br />3. Electric lamps: Fluorescent tubes and bulbs, high intensity discharge lamps, sodium <br />vapor lamps and electric lamps that contain added mercury, as well as any other lamp that <br />exhibits a characteristic of a hazardous waste. (e.g., lead). <br />4. Mercury -containing equipment: Thermostats, mercury switches, mercury thermometers, <br />pressure or vacuum gauges, dilators and weighted tubing, mercury rubber flooring, <br />mercury gas flow regulators, dental amalgams, counterweights, dampers and mercury <br />added novelties such as jewelry, ornaments and footwear. <br />5. CRTs: The glass picture tubes removed from devices such as televisions and computer <br />monitors. <br />6. CRTlg ass: A cathode ray tube that has been accidently broken or processed for <br />recycling. <br />7. Non -empty aerosol cans <br />Universal Wastes may not be disposed of in the trash t► <br />SEP 0 8 1015 <br />STATE OF CALIFORNIA , <br />�aCa}TIJ nCQgrJTRACl��T <br />