Disposal and Replacement of Compact Fluorescents

Years ago I purchased my first Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs (CFLs). It was the right thing to do. The bulbs saved energy, they reduced my carbon footprint, and over their lifespan saved me money on both lighting and cooling costs. Recently, however, I have had a few of these bulbs go bad and have been considering disposal and replacement.

Each CFL contains a small amount of highly toxic mercury and it is CRITICAL that these bulbs do not go into the trash!!! CFLs must be recycled. Mercury, as well as glass and other metal in the bulb, should be diverted from the waste stream. Unfortunately these bulbs cannot be disposed of in our curbside bins. They must be dropped off at a recycler. Our local Batteries Plus store on Cemetery Road will accept these bulbs free in small numbers from residential users and ensure they are properly handled and recycled. US EPA’s website has much information on the benefits and dangers of CFLs and is a good place to start digging deeper into the subject.

When I think about replacement, I plan on purchasing LEDs. Overtime as my CFLs go bad, I will purchase and install LEDs into my light fixtures that get the most use and shuffle the remaining CFL’s to the least used fixtures. LEDs are clearly more efficient, are becoming more affordable all the time, do not contain mercury, and so for me – the right thing to do.