How to Dispose of Light Bulbs

Why you should be concerned about how to handle old or broken light bulbs? One important reason is for the physical safety of people and animals. At the very least, the glass is dangerous, so understanding how to dispose of light bulbs properly can help protect anyone who comes across them in your garbage or landfill.

Another key reason is that some light bulbs have parts made with mercury, lead and other heavy metals. When these kinds of bulbs make it to landfills, they can affect groundwater, which can hurt everyone and harm the environment as well. It’s illegal to put these kinds of bulbs into the regular trash in some cities and states. You also need to take safety precautions in your home or office if a bulb with mercury breaks.

For any bulbs you don’t recycle, use safety precautions when you throw them away. But it’s best to recycle those that you can, and keep in mind some must be recycled by law.

If it's legal to dispose of your light bulb in the trash and it doesn’t have mercury in it, take the time to make it as safe as possible.

• Use gloves or pick it up with a cloth to keep yourself protected.
• Put it inside of a smaller, sealable bag before your put it in your larger bag with the rest of your trash. This helps keep any shards of glass contained if it breaks or it’s already broken.

Keep in mind that if you have bulbs to recycle, they can’t go in your home’s recycling pickup container. Instead, find a recycling location that accepts your type of bulbs.

• Prepare them by putting the bulbs in bags or containers that can be made airtight. Plastic bags that seal by zipping closed are a good option.
• Put the sealed bag into a box with padding to avoid breakage, whether mailed to a recycling facility or delivered in person.
• If the used bulb is intact and contains mercury in it, label the package with a warning about its contents.

If a broken bulb contains mercury, it's hazardous waste and must be immediately and carefully handled. It then must be taken to an official hazardous waste facility.

• Clear all people and pets from the room where the bulb was broken.
• Ventilate the room by opening any windows.
• Wait a minimum of 15 minutes before gathering the debris.
• If you have an HVAC system, make sure it's turned off.
• Use gloves, damp paper towels or cloths, cardboard and stiff paper or sticky tape to pick up the broken pieces.
• Do not use a broom or vacuum.
• Consult and follow EPA guidelines for more detailed cleanup procedures.

Now that you know how to dispose of light bulbs, you need to find facilities that can handle them.

• Local recycling centers and retailers that have recycling programs
• Retailer recycling programs
• Municipal hazardous waste facilities

Incandescent light bulbs are the easiest to dispose because they can be thrown in the household trash. In most cases, the amount of metal and glass in incandescent light bulbs is too small and complicated to recover by recycling. However, check local sources to see if your recycling center accepts incandescent lightbulbs.

If the bulb is broken, wrap the pieces securely in heavy paper such as newsprint, so that glass shards don't cut through the garbage bag. This makes garbage pickup safer for both you and the waste collector.

Incandescent bulbs can be upcycled or used for another project. Research online for safe ways to prep incandescent bulbs for crafts. Then have fun transforming old bulbs into new decor.

Halogen bulbs can be thrown away safely in the household trash. They pose little environmental threat but are difficult to recycle. Halogen bulbs are made from thicker glass than incandescent bulbs, so they won’t break as easily. However, it is still wise to wrap a halogen bulb before throwing it away. Place the spent bulb in the packaging the new bulb comes in and then toss the entire thing. If you are intent on recycling, check your local recycling center to see if they accept halogen bulbs.

Compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFL) are a popular bulb style. CFL light bulbs use less energy than incandescent bulbs and are available in various shapes. However, these bulbs should never be thrown away in household trash. CFL bulbs contain mercury, which is toxic to humans and pets. Even though most bulbs contain only about 4 milligrams, CFL bulbs thrown into a landfill can leak toxins into groundwater and contaminate the drinking water supply in the local area. Proper light bulb disposal is one small way to support the long-term health of your community.

There are several retailers who accept intact and undamaged CFL bulbs for recycling, including The Home Depot. There are also a few online services that allow you to mail in bulbs to be recycled.

If a CFL bulb breaks inside your home, clean it up immediately using the safety protocols for handling broken bulbs with mercury in them.

Many people throw away LED light bulbs, but LED bulb recycling is the best option. LEDs use tiny microchips to conduct electrical current. These include trace amounts of heavy metals such as lead and arsenic. Some communities have recycling collections for LED bulbs to try to prevent them from ending up in a landfill.

It is always a good idea to see what options exist for LED bulb recycling rather than to outright trash them. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency publishes a list of places that recycle light bulbs. Also check with The Home Depot in your area to see if they recycle LED light bulbs.

Like CFLs, fluorescent tube lights contain mercury. The glass in the tube is very fragile. They are not permitted to be thrown away in regular trash or put out curbside for collection as they are hazardous waste.

If a fluorescent tube breaks, follow steps for safely picking up a mercury-containing bulb. To dispose of fluorescent tubes, some local recycling programs have special recycling protocols for these tubes. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency publishes a list of places that recycle these light bulbs. Also check with The Home Depot in your area to see if they dispose of fluorescent tubes by recycling.