How to Dispose of Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs — Are You Recycling Your CFL's?

photo by Nioxxe

Compact fluorescent light bulbs, or CFL's, have become popular over the past several years as the eco-friendly alternative to incandescent light bulbs, which use the majority of their energy to produce heat, not light. According to the US Department of Energy, Energy Star qualified compact fluorescents use 75 percent less energy then your typical incandescent bulb and they last up to ten times longer. While CFL's themselves are more expensive, they can greatly reduce your electricity bill — by as much as $40 for the lifetime of one CFL bulb.

Green, eco-friendly and a positive step towards more energy efficient lighting. There is a catch however. CFL's contain mercury, and when they are not properly disposed of, they can become hazardous. Polluting landfills with tiny doses of mercury (about 4 milligrams per bulb), which can eventually end up in local groundwater, is not exactly eco-friendly. The mercury is not released when the bulbs are used, but when the bulbs are broken. ("Eco-friendly light bulbs switch on problems." The Washington Times, July 20, 2009).

The solution to eco efficient light bulbs potentially becoming eco hazardous is recycling. In some states in fact it is the law to properly dispose of your CFL's. So, how can you recycle your compact fluorescent light bulbs? You can look up a list of local waste collection agencies and recycling opportunities at Earth911.com. Also, many stores that sell the bulbs, including Home Depot and Lowe's, have CFL recycling programs. Another option is to mail the bulb back to the manufacturer to be recycled and disposed of properly. Check the website of your CFL's manufacturer for more info.