How to Dispose of a Compact Fluorescent Bulb (CFL)

Mar 29, 2010 | Waste Management

Recycling CFLs | Cleaning up a broken CFL | Take Action!

Fluorescent light bulbs and tubes contain a tiny amount of mercury-about 5 milligrams per bulb-sealed within the glass tubing. Mercury is a health hazard that's linked to various neurological effects. Even this small amount means CFLs must be recycled and disposed of with special care, so you don't breathe or touch it.

Recycling CFLs

As more and more Americans use CFLs, more towns, cities, stores, and waste-collection services offer CFL collection and recycling. Due to their mercury content, fluorescent bulbs can't be recycled with other glass.

Contact your local waste district or waste collector to find out how you can recycle CFLs. In the San Francisco Bay area and Silicon Valley, you can drop off CFLs at toxic-products dropoff and electronics recycling collection days in most cities.

But there's no need to wait for those events. Many stores collect CFLs. Home Depot, IKEA, and Ace Hardware stores-even if you didn't buy them there. Many locally owned independent hardware and home supply stores do, too.

If all else fails, you can recycle via mail through Lightbulbrecycling.com, which sends you a prepaid box that will hold 30 bulbs. Alas, this costs $120, but perhaps you can split this cost with your neighborhood or office.

Or, if you have room in a garage or basement, put old CFLs in a 5-gallon bucket, such as an old drywall bucket, and put a lid on it. Save it for the day you can drop them off at the above stores or when your local recycling collector recycles CFLs. With CFLs fast replacing incandescent bulbs in most buildings, this day should come soon!

Cleaning up a broken CFL

CFLs are just as delicate as incandescent bulbs. If one breaks, take great care to avoid exposing anyone not just to the glass shards but also to the minute amount of mercury-containing phosphor powder from the bulb.

Before clean-up: Air out the room

Have people and pets leave the room. Don't let anyone walk through the breakage area on their way out. Open a window and leave the room for 15 minutes or more to let it air out. Shut off the central forced-air heating or air conditioning system if it's on.

Clean-up steps

Carefully scoop up glass pieces and powder using stiff paper or cardboard and place them in a glass jar with metal lid (such as pickle jar) or in a sealable plastic bag. Use the sticky side of tape, such as duct tape, to pick up any remaining small glass fragments and powder. Wipe the area clean with damp paper towels. Place the towels in the glass jar or plastic bag. If on a hard surface or floor, do not use a vacuum or broom to clean up the broken bulb on hard surfaces. These will mobilize the pieces and powder into the air. If on a rug or carpet, vacuum only after all visible materials are removed. Then remove the vacuum bag (or empty and wipe the canister), and put the bag or vacuum debris in a sealed plastic bag.

Clean-up steps for clothing, bedding and other soft materials

If clothing or bedding materials come in contact with broken glass or mercury-containing powder from inside the bulb that may stick to the fabric, the clothing or bedding should be thrown away. Do not wash such clothing or bedding because mercury fragments in the clothing may contaminate the machine and/or pollute sewage. If shoes come into direct contact with broken glass or mercury-containing powder from the bulb, wipe them off with damp paper towels and place them in a glass jar or plastic bag for disposal.

Dispose of shards and your clean-up materials immediately in an outdoor trash container or protected area for the next regular trash pickup. Check with your local government or waste collection services about disposal requirements. Some states do not allow discarding CFLs with regular trash. Instead, they require that broken and unbroken mercury-containing bulbs be taken to a local recycling center.

Take Action!

Recycle used CFLs