Universal wastes are specific hazardous wastes that are commonly generated by households, businesses, and industries. These include

The realization that even the smallest generators of hazardous waste need better management opportunities and the impracticability of enforcing hazardous waste regulations on small commercial businesses, led to the federal Universal Waste Rule, passed on May 11, 1995. The Universal Waste Rule has three goals:

  1. To encourage resource conservation while ensuring adequate protection of human health and the environment;
  2. To facilitate compliance with the regulations governing universal waste by making the regulations easy to understand;
  3. To divert universal wastes from the municipal waste stream

In Illinois, the newly amended Universal Waste Rule encourages recycling or proper disposal of universal waste items.

The Illinois Pollution Control Board amended the Illinois Universal Waste Rule (on April 2, 1998) to cover mercury-containing fluorescent bulbs. Wastes in this special category of hazardous waste are called “universal” because they are broadly generated. Pesticides, thermostats and batteries are also classified as universal wastes. The Illinois Universal Waste Rule encourages waste lamps to be properly collected, recycled or disposed of. Currently, UIS recycles all spent fluorescent bulbs by diverting them from the local landfill. UIS generates nearly 5,000 bulbs annually.