CFLs: Recycling
Some states may require households to recycle their mercury-containing light bulbs after they burn out. In addition, EPA strongly encourages the recycling of all CFLs and other fluorescent light bulbs because it reduces the chance that mercury ends up in the environment.
If your state of local environmental regulatory agency offers no other disposal options except your household garbage, place the fluorescent light bulb in a plastic bag and seal it before putting it in the trash. If your waste agency incinerates its garbege, you should search a wider geographic area for proper disposal options. Never send a fluorescent light bulb or any other mercury-containing product to an incinerator.
DID YOU KNOW?
If every American home replaced just one light with an ENERGY STAR light, we would save enough energy to light more than 3 million homes for a year, about $700 million in annual energy costs, and prevent 9 billion pounds of greenhouse gas emissions per year, equivalent to the emissions of about 800,000 cars.
Is it true what they say about mercury in CFL bulbs?
“All fluorescent lamps contain a small amount of elemental mercury (Hg), also known as quicksilver. When lamps are cold, some of the mercury in the lamp is in liquid form, but while the lamp is operating, or when the lamp is hot, most of the mercury is in a gaseous or vapor form…” Keep in mind that the amount of mercury used is equivalent to that of a ball point pin tip. And “Although the amount of mercury in each fluorescent lamp is small, it is always important to avoid breaking fluorescent lamps, and that the unbroken lamps be delivered to a hazardous waste handler. Never EVER place fluorescent lamps in trash compactors or incinerators, since this will release the mercury and contaminate the surrounding area. Liquid mercury will not burn, but instead becomes a vapor when heated. It eventually cools and condenses back to a liquid form, spreading the contamination to larger areas.”
source: http://nemesis.lonestar.org
How do I recycle CFL bulbs?
Here are four websites that will help you navigate this issue:
- Earth911: Helps you find recycling centers. Just input what type of materials you want to recycle and your location. Simple and to the point.
- Sylvania: Provides affordable recycle kits for CFLs.
- Lightbulbrecycling.com: You can order recycling kits for a bulk amount of bulbs. This service might not work for the average energy user.
- EPA: For CFL recycling information, link and other resources
In addition to these websites, IKEA has a permanent in-store zone for CFL recycling and Walmart has implimented one of its own (depending on its success, it may become a permanent zone).
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What to Do if a Fluorescent Light Bulb Breaks?
Fluorescent light bulbs contain a very small amount of mercury sealed within the glass tubing. EPA recommends the following clean-up and disposal guidelines:
- Open a window and leave the room for 15 minutes or more.
- Carefully scoop up the fragments and powder with stiff paper or cardboard and place them in a sealed plastic bag.
- Use disposable rubber gloves, if available (i.e., do not use bare hands). Wipe the area clean with damp paper towels or disposable wet wipes and place them in the plastic bag.
- Do not use a vacuum or broom to clean up the broken bulb on hard surfaces.
- Place all cleanup materials in a second sealed plastic bag.
- Place the first bag in a second sealed plastic bag and put it in the outdoor trash container or in another outdoor protected area for the next normal trash disposal. Note: Some states prohibit such trash disposal and require that broken and unbroken lamps be taken to a local recycling center.
- Wash your hands after disposing of the bag.
- If a fluorescent bulb breaks on a rug or carpet:
- First, remove all materials you can without using a vacuum cleaner, following the steps above. Sticky tape (such as duct tape) can be used to pick up small pieces and powder.
- If vacuuming is needed after all visible materials are removed, vacuum the area where the bulb was broken, remove the vacuum bag (or empty and wipe the canister) and put the bag or vacuum debris in two sealed plastic bags in the outdoor trash or protected outdoor location for normal disposal.
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sources:
Energy Star: www.energystar.gov
EPA: www.epa.gov
American Lighting Association: www.americanlightingassoc.com