The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is currently working with manufacturers and retailers to develop, implement, and expand recycling options for mercury-containing light bulbs. Fluorescent light bulbs are one type of bulb that contains mercury. Many communities have household hazardous waste collection facilities that accommodate fluorescent light bulb recycling.
Energy-efficient light bulbs such as fluorescent and high intensity discharge (HID) bulbs are comprised of mercury. Fluorescent bulbs are common used in schools, government offices, and commercial businesses. HID bulbs are used in parking lot and industrial lighting, as well as street lamps and flood lamps.
Over the past two decades, lighting manufacturers have greatly decreased the use of mercury in lighting, but they have not been able to entirely eliminate its use. Disposal of light bulbs containing mercury impacts the environment. Annually, over 670 million light bulbs containing mercury are discarded. Most are disposed of with municipal waste that is sent to a landfill or incinerated. These methods of disposal lead to elemental mercury release into the environment through bulb breakage or leakage.
Because this mercury release eventually contaminates the food chain, these bulbs should be recycled after they burn out. The metal end caps, glass tubing, mercury, and phosphor powder contained in a fluorescent bulb can be separated and reused. Consumers may search online to find where to take used fluorescent light bulbs to be recycled. Many consumers recycle these bulbs by taking them to a local household hazardous waste collection site. This service is usually free, but some municipalities may charge a small fee.
The mercury contained in fluorescent light bulbs presents an environmental hazard when disposed of with regular municipal waste. Fluorescent light bulb recycling is a current government initiative supported by many local communities. Check online for local household hazardous waste collection sites and special events.
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