How to Dispose of Burnt-Out Compact Fluorescent Lights
You may have heard that compact fluorescent light bulbs, also known as, CFLs contain mercury. These bulbs do contain mercury, however their benefit greatly outweighs the risks of the minute amount you would find in each bulb. CFL bulbs contain five milligrams of mercury, or the equivalent of 1/100th of the amount found in an old-fashioned thermometer.
The EPA strongly recommends that you dispose of CFL bulbs in an environmentally safe way. Households are exempt from the more stringent federal regulations followed by commercial and industrial entities, however it is always a good idea to dispose of hazardous waste responsibly.
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Instructions
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Contact your local solid waste management company to inquire about recycling practices of CFL bulbs in your area. Regulations will differ from county to county statewide, and you will want to be sure to follow the procedure outlined in your area. If you do not have any regulations in your area, place the bulb in a Ziplock bag and put it in the trash for normal pickup.
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Visit the Earth911 website located in the Resources section. Earth911 connects users with recycling centers across their state. In the "find Recycling Centers For" box enter "CFL bulb" or "Compact Fluorescent Light bulb." Type your zip code in the box directly to the right labeled with "Near." Click on the Search button and the website will provide a list of recycling centers in your area.
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Visit the EPA Collection and recycling program page in References. Use the map to find the recycling area nearest you and important information about the recycling programs. Navigate to the page for your state to find a CFL collection and recycling service.
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Tips & Warnings
Local big box or discount store may have recycling receptacles for compact fluorescent light bulbs.
Clean up broken compact florescent light bulbs using the EPA's safe handling guide.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit cfl lightbulb from above on black image by Silverpics from Fotolia.com
