Residents may, for free, safely and properly dispose of any and all types of lamps and lights at theWest CountyHHW Collection Facility, including fluorescent tubes, compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs), metal halide lamps, andsodium vapor lamps.
Never Throw in the Garbage
Fluorescent light bulbs contain mercury, which is a hazard for your health and the environment. Never throw them away. Store them outside in a sealed container, and dispose of them as hazardous waste.
Air Out Room if Bulb Breaks
Broken CFL bulbs can release mercury vapor. If one breaks, clear people and pets out of the room, and then air it outfor five to ten minutes. To stop the vapor from spreading, also shut off the heat, ventilation and air-conditioning.
Avoid Vacuuming if Possible
Don’t use a vacuum to clean up because this can spread the mercury powder from a broken CFL bulb. Instead, sweep up broken pieceswith cardboard or paper.If there are any leftover shards of glass, use a piece of tape to pick them up.
Identifying a CFL Bulb
If you are unsure if your bulb is CFL, check if your bulb is listed with these other CFL bulbs: linear, U-tube and circline fluorescent tubes, bug zappers, tanning bulbs, black lights, germicidal bulbs, high output bulbs and cold-cathode fluorescent bulbs.
Alternative Ways to Recycle
Recycle at Lowe's
Recycle at Home Depot
Home Depot accepts CFL bulbs for recycling, though not all locations accept fluorescent tubes or LED light bulbs. Call ahead if you are trying to dispose of a fluorescent tube or LED bulb.
Batteries Plus Bulbs Recycling Services
Mail-Back Programs
There are a number of organizations that sell mail-back kits for fluorescent and CFL light bulbs. The cost of each kit includes shipping charges. Check out this list of programs on the EPA’s website to get started.
FAQs
2. Home Depot, Lowes and Aubuchon Hardware Stores Home Depot and Lowes will accept and recycle Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs) only, and recycle them at no cost to the consumer.
Where can I get rid of fluorescent light bulbs near me? ›
Alternative Ways to Recycle
- Recycle at Lowe's. Lowe's accepts rechargeable batteries and CFLs at any of their store locations for free recycling. ...
- Recycle at Home Depot. ...
- Batteries Plus Bulbs Recycling Services. ...
- Find a CFL Recycler. ...
- Mail-Back Programs.
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.
Can I put light bulbs in the recycling bin? ›
As light bulbs contain electrical and sometimes chemical components, you can't recycle light bulbs with other types of glass – such as bottles and jars. Instead, in most cases light bulbs should be recycled alongside other electrical items with Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) recycling.
Does Home Depot accept light bulb returns? ›
Proper light bulb disposal is one small way to support the long-term health of your community. There are several retailers who accept intact and undamaged CFL bulbs for recycling, including The Home Depot. There are also a few online services that allow you to mail in bulbs to be recycled.
Can you return light bulbs to Lowes? ›
Most new, unused merchandise can be exchanged or returned for a refund with proof of purchase within 90 days of the original purchase date.
Does Menards recycle fluorescent bulbs? ›
Many local home improvement stores including, Lowe's, Home Depot, Ace Hardware, Menards and even IKEA offer CFL bulb recycling programs. Virtually all components of a fluorescent bulb can be recycled and it prevents mercury from leaking into the environment (Lamp Recycle).
How much does it cost to remove a fluorescent light fixture? ›
Custom Calculators with Homewyse Lists
In April 2024 the cost to Remove Lighting Fixtures starts at $14.61 - $59.06 per fixture.
How do you recycle old CFL bulbs? ›
Energy efficient light bulbs can be recycled at most larger Recycling Centres and some stores - find your nearest below. Older style 'incandescent' bulbs aren't recyclable and should be put in the waste bin.
What to do with broken fluorescent light bulbs? ›
Shut off the air-conditioning or heating system. Wipe up the broken glass and powder, seal them in a container and dispose of them. Check with your local government about disposal requirements. Some communities require that trashed fluorescent bulbs (broken or unbroken) be taken to a local recycling center.
However, the varied shapes of Compact Fluorescents remain popular as they are seen as energy-efficient designer light bulbs made most popular by Plumen and are now used as décor as well as lighting. 2023/01 UPDATE: CFL light bulbs are now getting phased out with the first ban February 25th 2023.
Why can't light bulbs be recycled? ›
Only certain light bulb types can be recycled. Incandescent and halogen bulbs are often considered non-recyclable. This is because their design incorporates such small portions of recyclable material that the extraction process is worse for the environment than throwing the bulb away.
What type of light bulbs need to be recycled? ›
Used CFLs and fluorescent tubes need to go into hazardous waste recycling because they contain small amounts of toxic mercury. Incandescents are probably best thrown into the regular landfill, there is little to recover.
Where do you dispose of bulbs? ›
Where? This should be brought to a WEEE dropoff recycling point or Civic Amenity Site, check the waste services locator on this site.
Are fluorescent bulbs going away? ›
In 2022, Vermont and California became the first states to phase out the sale of most fluorescent bulbs. In 2023, five other states followed suit, with Hawaii, Colorado, Oregon, Rhode Island and Maine also phasing out fluorescents. In 2024, Washington, Minnesota and Illinois passed the bill.
Is there a replacement for fluorescent bulbs? ›
Yes, you can replace fluorescent tubes with LED tubes or LED-integrated fixtures. If you just want to replace the bulbs, you can use plug-and-play, direct-wire, or hybrid LED tubes. Plug-and-play tubes are the easiest to install as they do not require any rewiring to the fixture.
How to dispose of fluorescent tubes in NY? ›
Contact a hazardous material or chemical waste disposal company. You can double bag incandescent or compact fluorescent light bulbs and put them in your regular household trash. You can also drop them off at some home improvement stores, such as Home Depot and Lowe's, or Ikea.
