What must Batteries Plus Bulbs franchisees comply with regarding light bulb and ballast disposal?
Batteries_Plus_Bulbs Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
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You also must comply with various federal and state laws and regulations governing disposal or recycling of certain light bulbs and ballasts. Management and disposal by businesses of fluorescent light bulbs and other mercury-containing bulbs are federally regulated under the Resource Conservation and
Recovery Act (RCRA) Universal Waste Rule (UWR) and Subtitle C hazardous waste regulations. In addition, many states have light bulb and ballast disposal regulations that are more stringent than federal requirements.
All fluorescent light bulbs and high discharge (HID) lamps contain mercury. When they are discarded, federal and state regulators assume that light bulbs are a hazardous waste. In most circumstances, waste light bulb generators, such as Batteries Plus® Stores, must manage, transport and dispose of light bulbs and some ballasts as a hazardous waste or comply with the more lenient Universal Waste Rule (UWR). The UWR provides streamlined regulations for the management and transportation of light bulbs and ballasts.
In some states, all mercury-added light bulbs are hazardous and must be recycled or disposed as a hazardous waste. Disposal regulations at the state level vary, but generally include more stringent regulations of light bulb disposal, for example in some states, all light bulbs with mercury are hazardous and must be recycled or disposed of as hazardous waste and allow for fewer exemptions under federal law. In most states, Batteries Plus® Stores can comply with state and federal rules regulating disposal of light bulbs and ballasts by complying with the streamlined Universal Waste Rule requirements and sending their light bulbs and ballasts for recycling.
Also, you must understand and comply with the Payment Card Industry (PCI) Data Security Standards: https://www.pcisecuritystandards.org/, including those standards. You also must comply with all laws and regulations governing privacy and data protection, including (if applicable) the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and any similar data privacy laws in other states.
Source: Item 1 — The Franchisor and any Parents, Predecessors, and Affiliates (FDD pages 8–13)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to the 2025 Batteries Plus Bulbs FDD, franchisees must comply with federal and state laws and regulations regarding the disposal or recycling of light bulbs and ballasts. Federally, the management and disposal of fluorescent light bulbs and other mercury-containing bulbs are regulated under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Universal Waste Rule (UWR) and Subtitle C hazardous waste regulations. Many states have additional regulations regarding light bulb and ballast disposal that are more strict than the federal requirements.
Because all fluorescent light bulbs and high discharge (HID) lamps contain mercury, federal and state regulators assume that discarded light bulbs are hazardous waste. Batteries Plus Bulbs stores, as waste light bulb generators, typically must manage, transport, and dispose of light bulbs and some ballasts as hazardous waste, or comply with the more lenient Universal Waste Rule (UWR), which provides streamlined regulations for the management and transportation of light bulbs and ballasts. In most states, Batteries Plus Bulbs stores can comply with state and federal rules by adhering to the Universal Waste Rule requirements and sending their light bulbs and ballasts for recycling.
Some states consider all mercury-added light bulbs as hazardous waste that must be recycled or disposed of as hazardous waste. Disposal regulations vary at the state level, but generally include more stringent regulations of light bulb disposal. Franchisees should check their state statutes to determine the measures they must take to comply with legislation in their state, as these laws change frequently.