Mercury Recovery and Reclamation

Volume reduction, mercury recovery, or mercury reclamation facilities use equipment to recapture mercury from mercury-containing devices and lamps for the purpose of recycling the mercury. Mercury-containing devices and lamps include thermostats, batteries, fluorescent light bulbs and streetlights, which may release mercury into the environment if not disposed of properly. Section 403.7186, Florida Statutes, prohibits the incineration of mercury-containing devices and lamps, and require any person owning or operating an institutional or commercial facility that disposes of more than 10 spent lamps per month to arrange for the proper disposal of those lamps in permitted lined landfills or at permitted mercury reclamation facilities.

A volume reduction, mercury recovery or mercury reclamation facility may be eligible to operate in Florida under the terms of an air general permit (AGP) pursuant to the requirements of Rule 62-210.310(5)(a), Florida Administrative Code (F.A.C.).

An AGP is an authorization by rule to construct or operate a specific type of air pollutant emitting facility. Use of such authorization by any individual facility does not require action by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). The terms and conditions of an AGP are set forth in the rule, rather than in a separately issued air construction or air operation permit.

Some mercury recovery processes as defined in Rule 62-296.417, F.A.C., may qualify for an exemption under Rule 62-210.300(3)(a)(29), F.A.C., provided the owner or operator shall manage only spent mercury-containing devices temporarily or permanently removed from service from the owner or operator’s own facilities or installations.

Registration

You can register, renew, change ownership or make administrative corrections to AGPs online.

• Air General Permit Electronic Registration System (AGPERS)

If you do not wish to use AGPERS, you can optionally download and complete the following worksheet and mail it to DEP at the address indicated in the worksheet instructions along with the $100 processing fee.

• Mercury Recovery and Mercury Reclamation Air General Permit Example Worksheet

Compliance Assistance Information

• Mercury Recovery and Reclamation Informational Handout

For more information on AGPs or assistance with using AGPERS, please contact DEP’s Small Business Environmental Assistance Program at 1-800-722-7457.

For questions related to compliance procedures such as test notifications, report submittals, record keeping, inspections, etc., please contact the compliance authority specific to the county where your facility is located. If it’s located in Broward, Duval, Hillsborough, Miami-Dade, Orange, Palm Beach, Pinellas or Sarasota counties, visit our Local Program Air Contacts page. For all other counties, go to our District Air Contacts page.