U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has begun cleanup of 2 to 3 million spent fluorescent lamps, 250 drums of PCB-containing lighting ballasts and other electronic equipment stored in a warehouse at Fluorescent Recycling Inc., 7260 Neville Ave., Cleveland, Ohio.
At the request of the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. EPA will address the hazardous contamination accumulated throughout the entire warehouse. On Feb. 13, EPA was notified that a fire at the warehouse was affecting the waste. U.S. EPA provided technical assistance to the Cleveland Fire Department to determine if mercury vapor was present. U.S. EPA has confirmed that contamination on site includes mercury vapors and PCBs.
The owner has now provided U.S. EPA with access to the warehouse for a Superfund time-critical removal action to remove contaminants. Fluorescent Recycling Inc. historically operated as a spent fluorescent lighting waste transporter.
