5 ways to dispose of old CFLs
Compact fluorescent light bulbs are a slam dunk when it comes to saving energy, but they contain mercury. Here's how to safely dispose of them.
ENERGY SAVER: Let there be energy-efficient light. (Photo: Robert S. Donovan/Flickr) 
link:
Comments
CFL's are great, last long, i dont have to change nearly as often, more energy efficient and lower unit life cost, BUT, disposing of them ...
Nearest place to me that will accept INTACT CFL is a 30 mile round trip drive. I rarely drive more than 5 miles. NO place within at least 100 miles accepts broken ones. Mail in of broken ones is totally unreasonable because of DOT and USPS requirements and training to handle hazardous materials. So what to do?
Again, greenie tree hugging twits.... More
"scrounged from most construction sites"? What does that mean? Is it just bunny hugger for "stolen"?
Dear President Obama:
How many American light bulb manufactures were put out of business because of legislation which opened the doors for China and the mercury laden CFL bulbs. Oh, that is right, the American Taxpayer is stupid and only a professional politician can understand that polluting our environment with mercury and job losses is far out-weighed by energy savings.
I can not believe that you support CFL bulbs and the idiots on capital hill that passed legislation. Thanks.... More
I despise the governments and their buddy General Electric for destroying our planet by lying to everyone about CFLs. Pure evil greed at work here. Makes me sick.
How can you call something green if it can't be disposed of in the trash? What a monumental scam
Go ahead and toss that funny light bulb under the sink-you've just committed a felony, disposing of hazardous waste in municipal trash. All CFL's must be recycled by an EPA licensed facility. In some cases, you will have to pay more to recycle the bulb than it cost to buy it. And that's just the beginning-soon sniffers on garbage trucks will identify the mercury vapor in your trashcan and alert the EPA, with fines and imprisonment to follow.
I have a bag of spent CFL's in the garage - waiting to find a place where I can get rid of them -- they definitely do NOT last as long as they claim - I got better mileage out of the incandescent bulbs. Also consider that these bulbs are apparently all manufactured in -- CHINA! So how earth-friendly is that when it travels across the ocean to get here. I suspect that is also the reason they do not last as long - they are probably using inferior materials or cutting corners somewhere along.... More
Again the governments telling us what we can and cannot do. The incandescent bulb is being phased out and we are forced to buy what they deem is right. CFL's will in the long run, give us more of a problem with the excess of mercury leaching into our water supplies. I also agree with Realistic's comment. I intend to purchase a lot of incandescent bulbs before they are all gone.
Unlike the long fluorescent bulb that is independent of the circuitry that powers it, CFL bulbs contain an electronic circuit that is discarded with the bulb. While people worry about the mercury inside the glass part, nobody mentions the two transistors, the eight capacitors, the five diodes, the three resistors and the relay that are discarded with each bulb. To understand the effect of using these CFL bulbs you should imagine having to throw the whole fluorescent light fixture that contains.... More
Today January 2011, I went to Home Depot to recycle 6-foot long fluorescent light bulbs (kitchen light) and I was told in near future they will not accept that type of CFC bulbs. However, they still accept the compact one like those showed in the picture above
CFLs are a good deal. Shoppers have gotten used to seeing their curly shape on store shelves, and adoption rates have really taken off. About 100 million were sold in the United States last year.
But there’s a catch: CFLs contain a small amount of mercury, which is toxic and tough to get out of the environment. CFL bulbs don’t belong in your regular trash when they finally burn out. So what to do with them?
I have to pay 50 cents a bulb to recycle them AND I have to drive out of my way to take them to the place to recycle them! It is good for the energy companies but not consumers!
Also the CFLs do NOT last as long as they say.
If you break on in your home you must go through a process to clean it up! It is hazardous. Check out the "energy star" website on how you are supposed to do that! It is ridiculous.
I'm hording incandescent bulbs until the LED technology improves.
I am a Home Depot employee and we ONLY (BOLD, UPPERCASE, ITALICS, UNDERLINED ONLY) recycle the swirley CFL's. No tubes of any size or shape as they are not CFL's; nor do we recycle the CFL flood lights or round shaped bulbs only the bared cfl swirley bulbs. Sorry, but we at least take those Wal-mart doesn't take any. We also recycle your old lithium power tool batteries in our tool departments.
CFL's is really save energy. Because breaking is not problem. I can agree the Luciana posting.
These thinks are crap becaus ethey are now burung out and because the lifetime is not waw was advertised in no way did they save me any money on engery cost also I have no local place to get rid of them and no oone provides a free mail service so I am just going to throw them in the trash
I keep my receipts for things I buy at Home Depot and other such places. I have taken back CFLs that did not last as guaranteed and gotten a replacement. Some CFLs do flunk out of the guarantee - but I have found that most of them do perform as they are guaranteed.
ALSO - HOME DEPOT WILL DISPOSE OF OLD CFLs FOR FREE !!!
I have been using CFL's since they first came out but am about to change my ways. It takes energy to produce the CFL's, energy to get them to the shelf and more to move them to my home where they quickly burn out. They cost more than the standard incandescent but don't last half as long and many provide less than adequate lighting. I'm ready to try the LED's which should drop in price as volume increases.
If your CFL's are burning out quicker than incandescent bulbs, then possibly you have an electrical problem or you are using cheap CFL's that are not worth the money. We use GE or Phillips brand and have noticed a big change in our household. Earlier this month I replaced the first CFL we put in the main light we use (every day for 4-6 hours or more) and it was first put in more than 2 years ago. When it lasted longer than six months (the standard time for an incandescent in that light), we.... More
I have been using CFL's since they first came out but am about to change my ways. It takes energy to produce the CFL's, energy to get them to the shelf and more to move them to my home where they quickly burn out. They cost more than the standard incandescent but don't last half as long and many provide less than adequate lighting. I'm ready to try the LED's which should drop in price as volume increases.
It's not just fluorescents that people are lazy about. its all recycling in general. the industries are not educating consumers well enough, and not making recycling a "brainless" activity to participate in. Instead, people have to request pamphlets or call hotlines to get information about recycling. There should be clear instructions on all recycling bins and recyclable products. Not just a number with arrows around it.
I have a dead CFL and wanted to do the "earth friendly" thing so I went to a website which was printed on the CFL. I entered the info and my zip code and found the nearest recycler at almost 12 miles from my home.
I have to say that if you, or other organizations expect the average citizen to drive 24 miles round trip to recycle a light bulb, you've got a rude awakening. Even with a recycler closer to my home, I will be hard pressed to remember to set the bulb aside, and bring it with.... More
I'm sure that most of the bulbs will be thrown in the trash not out of laziness, but out of the fact that some people have no idea they are hazardous. Hopefully LEDs will be more available and affordable so we can just skip over the whole CFL era.
