Recycling can be a costly operation, but many items require safe handling and disposal to prevent contamination of our environment and natural resources. One item that needs to be recycled is compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs). CFLs and other fluorescent bulbs may contain mercury. Mercury is a natural element found on earth. The modern chemical symbol found on the Periodic Table of Elements is Hg derived from hydrargyrum and is the only metal that is liquid at standard conditions for temperature and pressure.

Why recycle CFLs?

Mercury is poisonous to humans and without proper disposal of CFLs the toxic element can be released into the air we breathe and contaminate the water we drink.  If a CFL is tossed into a trashcan rather than recycled or disposed of properly the bulb may break and release mercury into the air. If the bulb does not break it may make it to a landfill where the Mercury can leak into the environment and potentially reach the water supply.

Animals such as fish can become contaminated by the mercury released in the environment. If this occurs and the fish is then consumed by humans, the mercury built up in the system of the fish will then be transferred to the person through absorption in the digestive tract.

How does Mercury Affect People?

Organic mercury is the form that people come in contact with and can become ill. Mercury is considered a poison to people and affects the nervous system. Problems associated with mercury poising include abnormal reflexes, seizures, and speech problems, visual disorders, shaking (tremors), nausea, hearing loss, depression, confusion, loss of appetite and memory problems. Mercury can pass from mother to a fetus and cause severe birth defects and even death.

Where to Recycle CFLs

CFLs contain a very small amount of mercury, but the lamps still require safe handling and disposal. According to the EPA, some states have laws requiring recycling (California, Maine, New Hampshire, Minnesota, Vermont and Massachusetts) EPA, 2011. Many companies maintain recycling programs for CFLs and other lamps containing mercury. Home Depot, Lowe’s, Ikea, and Ace Hardware are a few companies with free CFL recycling programs.

Step 1: Remove your CFL from the lamp and place it in a plastic bag.

Step 2: Individually wrap the CFL in the bag and tie the bag around the lamp.

Step 3: Take the CFL to Home Depot or other recycling station and place in recycling bin.

If you do not live near a location that recycles CFLs you can check Earth911.com for other waste collection options where you live. You can also contact the retailer or manufacture to find out if they support a recycling program for the product. You may be able to mail it back to the company for a small fee.

Waste Management supports a recycling program for CFLs called Think Green From Home. You can order a CFL Recycling Kit from Waste Management and mail your used bulbs to Waste Management for disposal and recycling or order Earthmate CFL kits that contain 75% less mercury than standard CFL bulbs.  According to Waste Management, there are over 4 billion household sockets in the United States being filled with CFLs (WM, 2011). This requires everyone to do their part and keep 17 tons of mercury out of the environment to include our air, water, and food supplies.

Before you replace your CFL write the month and year on the base of the lamp. This will provide you with a more accurate record of how long the CFL actually lasted.

Do you have any questions or suggestions for recycling CFLs? What brand of CFL have you had the most success with? Feel free to post a question or start a discussion about using CFLs.