Where Can I Dispose Of Fluorescent Lights

Why do cfl bulbs need special disposal.

Where can i dispose of fluorescent lights. Recycle fluorescent lights cfls and hids at no charge throughout washington state. Recycling cfls and other fluorescent bulbs allows reuse of the glass metals and other materials that make up fluorescent lights. How to recycle fluorescent tubes. How to recycle fluorescent bulbs and tubes.

Many people wonder can i throw away fluorescent bulbs once they burn out. Your area may prohibit disposal and or require recycling. This risk makes it important to dispose of cfls and other light bulbs properly. 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.

Just remember you should not break fluorescent bulbs or throw them in a trash can as they contain harmful. That can lead to short term health risk for exposed individuals and lasting environmental damage to soil and water. The mercury inside fluorescent tube lights is hazardous so extra care should be taken to ensure that this material doesn t leak. Other materials in the bulbs get reused.

Fluorescent tubes can last up to 15 000 hours making them a common choice for business classrooms etc. Virtually all components of a fluorescent bulb can be recycled. Despite claims by manufacturers that green lamps can be safely landfilled cfls contain trace amounts of mercury and should be properly recycled. These bulbs are most commonly used for industrial lighting and in commercial buildings.

Or you can call 1 800 cleanup part of earth 911 to find a recycling center near you. Cfl bulbs are considered hazardous waste in many areas and require a little more planning when it comes to disposal. Many recycling locations have temporarily closed and we expect more to follow. Cfl bulbs contain about 5 milligrams of mercury which can be toxic to the environment.

Given the current situation we encourage you to reserve your recycling for when the covid 19 pandemic has passed. 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. Fluorescent tubes serve as an energy efficient alternative to incandescent light bulbs but they contain low levels of toxic mercury which can be released into the air or water if the tubes are broken. If bulbs are broken burned or landfilled metals and other toxic substances can be released into the environment.

Luckily these tubes will last up to 15 000 hours so you won t need to worry about recycling them often. Polychlorinated biphenyls pcbs were commonly used in the small capacitor within fluorescent light ballasts.