Can you recycle light bulbs

You should not expect your curbside recycler to take CFLs, as curbside recycling is a rough-and-tumble business and fluorescent bulbs release their mercury as soon as they break.

Searchable recycling center databases are great ways to find chain retailers that provide light bulb recycling bins, especially for CFLs. Official websites use. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. JavaScript appears to be disabled on this computer. Please click here to see any active alerts. EPA recommends that consumers take advantage of available local options for recycling CFLs, fluorescent bulbs and other bulbs that contain mercury, and all other household hazardous wastes, rather than disposing of them in regular household trash.

Recycling prevents the release of mercury into the environment. CFLs and other fluorescent bulbs often break when thrown into a dumpster, trash can or compactor, or when they end up in a landfill or incinerator.

Dispose of it either with the rest of the waste or through a specialized recycling program. Incandescent, halogen, high-intensity discharge HID lights, and fluorescent tubes can't be recycled at Lowe's. No, you don't necessarily need to recycle LED bulbs.

They don't contain hazardous materials so they are safe to throw into the black landfill bin. Still, you can ask how to dispose of light bulbs with your municipal waste company.

You can dispose of 4-foot fluorescent bulbs as universal waste in most states. Seven states, including Maine and California, treat them as hazardous waste and require you to recycle them due to the mercury content.

If you need to transport long fluorescent tubes to a recycling facility , wrap them in old packing material to prevent them from breaking. Incandescent and halogen bulbs are safe to dispose of with household waste. Meanwhile, fluorescent lamps contain mercury and are considered hazardous waste that needs to be recycled. LED bulbs, on the other hand, are considered a much greener option, as they contain neither mercury nor sodium. They can be recycled for other materials, but only through specialized light bulb recycling facilities.

Go to our Green Directory to find the one nearest to you. He is a firm believer in environmental conservation, which he practices daily through recycling and home-grown food. He enjoys hiking, engaging in white-water sports, and collecting pocket knives. Category: Circular Economy , Green Blog. Reading through all that, it would really seem that light fixtures are pretty complicated in terms of recyclability and how they are actually manufactured in the first place.

It makes me think that maybe it is time to look into a new form of fixtures that would revolutionize our homes, while being safe for the environment. It likely winds up in the landfill anyway. Your email address will not be published. GreenCitizen contains affiliate links. When you make a purchase through those links, we may receive a commission that will help us make every day Earth Day at no extra cost to you.

Compact fluorescent light CFL bulbs use much less energy than older styled bulbs, which makes them very popular. Unfortunately, one of the components that make them so energy efficient is mercury. Mercury is hazardous and must not be thrown away in your regular garbage because toxins seep into landfill groundwater and make their way into our drinking supply.

The good news is that the mercury, glass and metal components of a CFL bulb can all be recycled and reused if processed correctly. Recycling instructions differ from place to place, so check with your local recycling and waste collection offices see the list of depots at the bottom of this post. Due to their mercury content, these bulbs can be hazardous, especially if you have children or pets in the house.

Make sure the broken pieces are wrapped carefully, and check with your local waste collection agency for proper disposal instructions. Again, because these bulbs contain mercury, they should not be tossed out with your regular trash unless your municipality specifically tells you to do so.

Incandescent bulbs and lamps can be tossed into the trash. If a bulb is broken, wrap it first in paper or plastic before placing it in your trash bin. This prevents broken edges from cutting through your garbage bag and creating a mess, and it helps protect you and your waste hauler from accidental injury.

If the bulbs are intact and you have a creative streak, you can also try upcycling them. Incandescent light bulbs can be turned into Christmas ornaments, little vases for small plants or mini lamps — you can find thousands of fun ideas on Pinterest alone. However, make sure you take proper safety precautions before trying out any of these DIY projects.

Preparing an incandescent bulb for crafting can be tricky, so follow a guide to hollowing out a bulb. Light-emitting diode LED bulbs do not contain mercury but are made with other hazardous substances such as lead and arsenic. Many communities will not accept these bulbs in their recycling program, which means most people throw their burnt out bulbs in the trash, by default.