Fluorescent Light Disposal

In some areas it s actually illegal to dispose of fluorescent tubes in the trash so be sure to follow the proper steps in recycling your fluorescent tubes to avoid breaking the law or damaging people s health.

Fluorescent light disposal.

Many recycling locations have temporarily closed and we expect more to follow. Not many retailers collect fluorescent bulbs but some do you can try any local batteries plus bulb store located throughout the united states. Ballasts manufactured through 1979 may contain pcbs. Recycle fluorescent lights cfls and hids at no charge throughout washington state.

Cfl bulbs contain about 5 milligrams of mercury which can be toxic to the environment. According to epa. But it is a good idea to. While compact fluorescent lightbulbs cfls have extensive recycling options through retail drop offs and mail in programs the same can t be said for fluorescent tubes.

This is why batteries plus bulbs accepts all types of light bulbs for recycling. Dave lake of colerain township has been replacing his unattractive fluorescent light bulbs in his home with new led bulbs. Recycling cfls and other fluorescent bulbs allows reuse of the glass metals and other materials that make up fluorescent lights. Virtually all components of a fluorescent bulb can be recycled.

No matter the type of light bulb from fluorescent to incandescent to cfl to halogen it is always recommended to recycle used bulbs safely and properly. Luckily these tubes will last up to 15 000 hours so you won t need to worry about recycling them often. Fees may apply and will vary based on bulb type and store location. The mercury inside fluorescent tube lights is hazardous so extra care should be taken to ensure that this material doesn t leak.

Given the current situation we encourage you to reserve your recycling for when the covid 19 pandemic has passed. Cfl bulbs are considered hazardous waste in many areas and require a little more planning when it comes to disposal. It s a small trade off for the benefit of more efficient bulbs which last longer and require less coal or oil fired electricity. How to recycle fluorescent tubes.

So he has been taking his old bulbs to lowe s and home depot for recycling. Why do cfl bulbs need special disposal. Disposal of fluorescent light ballasts flb polychlorinated biphenyls pcbs were commonly used in the small capacitor within fluorescent light ballasts. The epa recommended method for the safe disposal of all types of fluorescent light bulbs is actually recycling.

Luckily under the environmental protection agency s epa universal waste rule many mercury containing light bulbs can be treated as non hazardous waste if properly recycled. They also accept and recycle almost any type of light bulb so you can make one trip and take care of all your old light bulbs at once. Your area may prohibit disposal and or require recycling.