Compact Fluorescent Lightbulbs (CFL Bulbs)
What Should I Do With It?
Those twisted, spiral light bulbs known as CFLs (Compact Fluorescent Lightbulbs) are actually considered hazardous waste! While they are great for saving energy, they contain small amounts of mercury. Because of this, they can never go into your regular trash or curbside recycling. If they get crushed in a trash can or landfill, that mercury can leak out and contaminate our soil and water supply. Always look for a designated hazardous waste drop-off or a local retail collection bin to dispose of them safely. If a bulb happens to break, you can find official safety and cleanup instructions directly on the EPA website: https://www.epa.gov/mercury/cleaning-broken-cfl
Safety First
This item contains chemicals, heavy metals, or batteries that can be dangerous. Throwing it in your regular trash can cause fires, hurt sanitation workers, or leak harmful chemicals into the environment.
Before throwing this away, see if it can be fixed up, given to a friend, or donated to a local thrift shop. Keeping items in use is the best way to stop waste before it starts!
The recycling guidelines shown here are for general reference and educational purposes. Every city and town has different rules, sorting equipment, and recycling programs.
Please check your local town website or ask your local garbage collection program to make sure you are following your neighborhood's rules.