Universal Waste State Resource Locator
Illinois Universal Waste
In Illinois the US EPA administers the hazardous waste regulations, including the Universal Waste Rule. If you have any questions, contact someone at your EPA Regional office. The applicable regulations can be found at 40 CFR 273.
Illinois's Universal Waste Rule (which uses federal regulations) covers the following wastes: - batteries (e.g., lithium, nickel-cadmium, mercury, silver-oxide, and lead-acid batteries -- unless recycled under other regulations);
- pesticides;
- mercury containing devices (e.g., thermostats, switches);
- electric lamps (e.g., fluorescent, high intensity discharge, sodium vapor, and mercury vapor); and
- hazardous waste aerosol cans (see Section 733.106).
Certain other battery types (e.g. alkaline and carbon zinc cells that have been manufactured without mercury) may not be classified as hazardous wastes, and would therefore not fall under the Universal Waste Rule. However, as a matter of responsible practice, such batteries should be collected and sent to recycling facilities, rather than being landfilled.
Read the above regulations, talk to someone at the Hazardous Waste Program and use the other resources found below to learn more about these rules. Here's what to look for and ask about:
- Do I need to register as a universal waste handler?
- What waste accumulation and storage requirements apply?
- Do I need to label universal waste storage containers?
- Where can I dispose of universal waste?
- What waste transportation and disposal requirements apply?
- Are there any employee training requirements?
- Are there any tracking, reporting and recordkeeping requirements?
Other tools, fact sheets, and resources:
How to Manage Used Fluorescent and High-Intensity-Discharge Lamps as Universal Wastes A plain language guide covering management and disposal of used mercury-containing lamps as universal waste.
Find a Collection Location (interactive map) The Illinois EPA provides an interactive map indicating the location of recycling facilities in Illinois. Users can select from a wide range of common household wastes, and the map will indicate the location of facilities accepting that waste.
State Battery Recycling Laws
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