Where to Recycle Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs (CFL)

Compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFL) are a great way to save energy and money, and they typically last longer than traditional incandescent light bulbs. However, when they do eventually burn out, CFLs should not be thrown away in the household trash. Because CFLs contain a small amount of mercury, adding these light bulbs to communities' landfills also adds hazardous material to the environment. Helpfully, there are an increasing number of options for individuals trying to safely dispose of used CFLs through national recycling options. This article describes options for safely recycling CFLs.

Local recycling programs vary

Many local communities have expanded recycling programs to collect a wider array of materials, including paper, glass, metal cans, and plastic bottles. However, only a few community recycling programs will accept CFLs because of the special handling required. Nonetheless, check your local community to see if they have recycling options for CFLs. For example, my local Montgomery County, Maryland recycling program is relatively comprehensive, but does not directly accept household CFLs. In contrast, the New York City recycling program does accept CFLs when brought to the Department of Sanitation Special Waste Collection Centers in each borough.

Home Depot and Ikea accept CFLs for recycling nationwide

While many communities' recycling programs do not directly accept CFLs, several nationwide retailers have begun programs that accept CFLs. Home Depot announced in June 2008 that each of its more than 2,000 local stores in the United States would accept CFLs for recycling. Each Home Depot has a bright orange collection unit near the front entrance or customer service section. At two of my local Home Depot stores I found it easy-once customer service had pointed me to the self-serve collection bin-to put my used CFLs in the provided plastic bags and drop them in the bin.

Similarly, Ikea stores provide "Free Take Back" bins to allow customers to drop off their CFLs for recycling. Ikea has 34 store locations in the U.S.

Check other local options

While Home Depot and Ikea offer locations convenient to many individuals, there may be other local options for recycling CFLs that are even more convenient. For example, near my Maryland home, the organic food store My Organic Market accepts CFLs for recycling. Similar options may be available in your community.

Recycle in bulk by mail

If you are unable to find a Home Depot, Ikea, or local CFL recycling option, Sylvania offers a paid service to recycle a dozen CFLs for $15 via mail. While less convenient and more expensive than the other free options, this does afford a safe and environmentally conscious last resort for those wanting to correctly handle disposing of CFLs. The Sylvania RecyclePaks are available for $15, including postage, at https://recyclepak.sylvania.com/RecyclepakOrder.

Broken CFLs Require Special Handling

While throwing CFLs in the trash is not an environmentally safe option, the recycling options I outlined in this article require that unbroken CFLs be provided for recycling. In the unfortunate event that an accident occurs that results in a broken in CFL, it is important to safely handle to hazardous trace amount of mercury that will spill. The EPA offers advice on how to handle this situation on their web page at

http://www.epa.gov/mercury/spills/index.htm#fluorescent.