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Step 1
Recycle. Check if there is a local organization or government agency that takes CFL light bulbs. You also can visit earth911.org, or call them at (800) CLEAN-UP, for a list of disposal options. Another option is to contact your local waste management agency, and some stores including IKEA will take used CFLs.
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Step 2
Bag it. If there is no place to recycle your CFL light bulb, seal in a plastic bag and put it in the trash. Don't place a CFL bulb, or anything that contains mercury, in an incinerator.
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Step 3
Pay to get rid of it. Some companies will dispose of CFL light bulbs for a fee, usually somewhere between a quarter and 75 cents per bulb. Look in the Yellow Pages to find a local disposal company.
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Step 4
Sweep, don't vacuum, if a CFL light bulb breaks. Experts say there isn't much danger from the mercury, so just be careful not to cut yourself. Use rubber gloves to collect the shards on stiff paper or cardboard, and put the shards in a sealed plastic bag. You can use sticky tape or damp towels to collect the smaller fragments, then put the towel or tape into the sealed bag. Let the room air out for 15 minutes to remove any lingering mercury vapors. If there isn't a nearby window, use a fan to blow air out of the room.
Comments
martypdji said
on 10/27/2009 For a more environmentally friendly bulb, and it still costs reasonable, these ones,
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=bl_sr_hi?ie=UTF8&search-alias=tools&field-brandtextbin=Clear-Lite
are designed to be that way. The page says that they: "Clear-Lite Natural Light ECO CFLs are designed to be Earth Friendlier and use Premium Components such as Lead Free Glass, Lead Free PC Board, Lead Free ECO Base and Amalgam (like the dental filling component, but not the more dangerous mercury that most bulbs have)". And it seems they are much better for the environment. I started buying these cause of the horror stories I heard of cleaning up the mercury if one of these bulbs breaks, not in a landfill, but in your kids room of your house. It seems ones like these are the safest option I found, and still reasonably priced.
I’ve also found Litetronics brand that also advertises low mercury and env...
nomaqq said
on 8/25/2009 Don't throw away burnt out CFL. They can be re-light.
See http://makelifeeasy.yolasite.com/
projectmgr said
on 8/7/2008 Thank you. This is good advice to help with the environment and people's health. Mercury,however,is not new in lighting. It is also used in the old fashioned fluorescent straight tubes in your 2', 4' or 8' fluorescent fixture. Dispose of these types in the same manner. CFL's are a straight tube with a twist.