How Do You Dispose of Energy Efficient Bulbs?
There are different processes for properly disposing of various household items that you and your family use every day. For example, energy efficient light bulbs should not just be disposed of as you would any other trash. When these bulbs burn out, the responsible, energy-saving option that is recommended by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is to take the bulbs to a participating recycling program. This is because the bulbs contain mercury, a potentially hazardous material. If the energy efficient bulb should break, there is another disposal procedure you should follow. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Recycling Used Bulbs
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Contact your local municipal solid waste agency to find out which local recycling centers recycle energy efficient bulbs. You can also use online resources, such as epa.gov/bulbrecycling or Earth 911, to search for places that recycle compact fluorescent light bulbs, which is what energy efficient bulbs are called. Call the recycling centers directly to make sure they recycle these bulbs before bringing them in.
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Contact local retailers that sell energy efficient bulbs to find out if they have a recycling program in place if your local recycling center will not accept energy efficient bulbs. Some retail locations will allow you to drop off the bulbs for recycling.
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Follow the recycling center's or local retailer's instructions for bringing in your bulbs.
Disposing of Broken Bulbs
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Check with your state's environmental agency, which can be found online at epa.gov/epahome/state.htm, to make sure that it's legal to throw these bulbs away in your city and state. If it is not legal, recycling them may be your only option.
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Pick up all pieces of a broken energy efficient bulb. Pick up large pieces and put them inside a sealable bag or jar. Pick up smaller pieces with strong tape.
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Vacuum any carpeted areas where the bulb broke to ensure all of the small fragments and powder are cleared away. On hard surfaces, wipe the area with a wet, disposable cloth rather than vacuum.
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Put the fragments inside another sealable bag and seal or place the lid on the jar and close firmly. Remove the bag from your vacuum cleaner. Take all containers that have remnants of the energy efficient bulb to your outside trash can. They should all be sealed shut. If you have a bagless vacuum cleaner, clean the canister thoroughly.
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Tips & Warnings
Some recyclers will accept broken energy efficient bulbs. Ask a recycling service worker when you call about the exact procedures to follow if they will accept the broken bulb.
Use caution when handling broken energy efficient bulbs; these bulbs contain mercury and can be potentially hazardous when broken.
When a bulb breaks in your home, open a window to air the room out for 15 minutes or more before beginning clean up, and turn off any central air systems to prevent circulation of harmful chemicals.
References
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