What is a Mail-In Recycling Program?

A lot of businesses don’t go through lamps very quickly. Smaller locations use less, so naturally they have less to recycle. The easiest thing to do would be toss the lamps in the garbage with everything else, right? Wrong. There are better solutions than putting yourself (you can be charged up to $25,000) and others at risk. The best option for businesses that don’t use a lot of lamps is a recycling pak program. What is that, you ask?

Simply put, a recycling pak program is an easy, convenient way for businesses to recycle their lamps, ballast, batteries and even mercury. A lot of recycling companies offer mail-in services as a way for those who don’t go through a lot of these items to store and recycle them without much hassle. We call ours “EverMail,” but pak programs all serve the same purpose.

Pak programs work as follows:

1. Go online or call the recycling company to order boxes or pails
2. Fill the boxes or pails as needed
3. When your box or pail is full, fill out the shipping information, seal it, and send it back to the recycling company
4. Once your items have been processed you’ll be sent a Certificate of Recycling

These programs are ideal for retail, large and small corporations, sites with limited storage space, and de-centralized locations that generate minimal amounts of universal waste. The price of our EverMail program includes the cost of the box, shipping to and from EverLights, recycling fees and the certificate of recycling.

Click to Order EverMail Recycling Products

Next time you’re replacing lamps in your office or building, think about the options you have for getting rid of them, and make sure you put “throw them out” at the bottom of the list. If you don’t think using a pak program is your best option, you can also drop them off at, or call to have them picked up by, a number of places, including EverLights.

The Real Meaning of Thanksgiving

Puritan colonists who settled in Plymouth, Massachusetts and Native Americans shared their early harvests with each other, enjoying a moment of peace and fellowship. Though the battles that ensued between the colonists and the Native Americans were extremely bitter, people could still look to that first Thanksgiving as a symbol of peace and hope.  It wasn’t until the Civil War, however, that Abraham Lincoln declared Thanksgiving a permanent American holiday.

Today, Thanksgiving still has a special meaning for every American. It’s a holiday meant for gathering your family close, eating good food, and remembering what we’re thankful for.  Unfortunately the true meaning of Thanksgiving gets lost in the stress of preparing the meal. This year, why not take time to relax, enjoy and express the gratitude you feel toward your loved ones? That’s what really matters.

In honor of the Thanksgiving holiday, EverLights would like to thank everyone who helps make our business a possibility. Without these businesses and individuals, EverLights would not exist. For that we are truly thankful. We at EverLights are thankful for…

Our Customers

Customers enable us to fulfill our mission of keeping the earth clean and healthy. This issue is increasingly important, and we’re happy to play such a big role in that effort. We are committed to helping companies reach their sustainability goals through establishing recycling programs and providing energy-efficient electrical and lighting supplies. From large to small companies, and everything in between, our customers make it possible to live up to this mission. Thank you for your willingness to recycle in a safe, reliable manner and for trusting us to handle the recycling of your universal waste.

Our Vendors

Our vendors allow us to offer the best products and services possible to our customers. From packaging to extra transportation, vendors plays a crucial role in our business operations. Thank you for making our lives easier, and for helping us provide top-notch recycling services to other businesses.

Our Staff

We’re lucky to have a staff that comes in every day ready to work hard and make sure everything runs smoothly. Like any other office, we find time to add a little fun into the mix, but at the end of the day work comes first. We pride ourselves on offering the best customer service possible, and our employees stand by that. The teamwork in our office is phenomenal, and everyone is willing to help out on any project. We’re proud to have a team that is so dedicated to the work we do.

The EverLights family would like to wish each and every one of you a happy, satisfying and safe Thanksgiving.

As always, feel free to contact us at any time on our website or by:

Phone: (773) 734-9873

Email: info@everlights.com

Why You Need to Start Recycling Batteries

We all use Batteries on a daily basis. Whether it’s a car battery, a cell phone battery or the batteries used in your remote control, you’re using them more than you might realize. That is, until they stop working and it’s time to change them. Take a second to think about what you do with those batteries when they run out of juice. Do you throw them away, or do you make sure you recycle them properly? Did you know that many batteries contain hazardous materials that, under federal regulation, have to be recycled?

On May 13, 1996, the Mercury-Containing Rechargeable Battery Management Act (Battery Act) was signed into law by the U.S. government to prevent the release of those hazardous substances into the environment. Under the Battery Act, manufacturers had to begin phasing out the use of mercury in batteries. The second part of the act provides for the efficient and cost-effective collection and recycling of used batteries, including nickel cadmium (Ni-Cd) batteries, small sealed lead-acid (SSLA) batteries and certain other batteries.

The Battery Act also established national, uniform labeling requirements for “regulated batteries” and “rechargeable consumer products.” It also allows the EPA to fine businesses up to $10,000 for not following the regulations. Nobody wants to get fined for something he or she can easily control, so it’s important to know the different types of batteries and which ones need to be recycled.

Click Here For the Easiest Way to Recycle Batteries

Alkaline Batteries

Alkaline batteries are one of the most commonly used batteries. You can put them in pretty much any of your household products, from remote controls to your camera. When the Battery Act was passed, it phased out the use of mercury in alkaline batteries. Even though these batteries don’t contain mercury, you can still recycle them. All batteries contain metals, which can still be harmful to the environment, even if it isn’t a very noticeable amount. While you can throw them away, we suggest recycling them with your other batteries.

Lithium-Ion (Li-ion)

Li-ion batteries are often found in electronic devices, such as cell phones and laptop computers. These batteries don’t contain many toxic chemicals, but could still be considered dangerous when placed in a landfill or incinerated. When exposed to high temperatures, Li-ion batteries have the potential to overheat and explode, causing what metals they do contain to enter the atmosphere. These batteries usually last until the electronic device they power needs to be disposed of. Most recycling companies that accept e-waste will also take your batteries.

Nickel Cadmium (Ni-Cd) Batteries

Ni-Cd batteries contain the toxic metal cadmium, and therefore must be recycled under this regulation. The metals in Ni-Cd batteries contain no threat to human health or the environment while they are in use. If the batteries are landfilled or incinerated, however, the metals could find their way into our food and water sources. There are a number of simple options for consumers and businesses to recycle these batteries, including mail-in programs, offered by recycling companies.

Silver Oxide Batteries

Silver oxide batteries, also known as button cell batteries, contain mercury, meaning they have to be recycled. Button cell batteries tend to have long lives, and won’t need to be disposed of as often. When you do need to dispose of one, check with your state or county to find out if they are accepted as part of a household hazardous waste program. Recycling companies, like EverLights, will also accept them and recycle them properly.

Lead Acid Batteries

Lead acid batteries are one of the most harmful products when landfilled, but also have the highest rate of recycling. Plastic, lead and sulfuric acid, the three substances uses to make lead acid batteries, are all incredibly dangerous if they are released in to the atmosphere. When you’re swapping out one of these batteries, check with the store you’re using to see if they recycle the batteries. If not, bring the battery to a local recycling center that accepts them.

Our suggestion to businesses is to play it safe when it comes to battery recycling. Instead of trying to determine what needs to be recycled and what doesn’t, send all of your batteries to a recycling company. Doing this will ensure you don’t receive one of those $10,000 fines, and it will save you from wasting time researching which battery is which. You can also read more about the Battery Act here.

EverLights will accept all batteries as part of our recycling services. Our packaging makes the storage and transportation of your spent batteries as simple as possible. If you want more information on battery recycling, contact us via email at info@everlights.com, by phone at 773-734-9873, or visit our website at www.everlights.com