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Recycling CFLs
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Lamp/Bulb & LED Recycling Made Easy
Current recommends recycling Compact Fluorescent Light bulbs (CFLs) or Linear Fluorescent Tubes at the end of life. All fluorescent bulbs require a very small amount of mercury to operate with high efficiency. Recycling recovers lamp materials, including mercury, for reuse. LED and LED Fixtures may also be recycled. These materials are typically non-hazardous, but are comprised of electronic components and other materials that can be reused or re-manufactured.
Recycling Programs
Recycling Linear Fluorescent tubes and Compact Fluorescent light bulbs (CFL) is required in many locations.
States requiring recycling of fluorescent tubes:
At least 10 states (CA, NY, MN, ME, NH, VT, RI, MA, CT and FL) have laws that limit or prohibit disposal of fluorescent tubes as normal waste. Laws in these states generally require that fluorescent tubes be recycled as a Universal Waste. Seven of these same states (CA, MN, ME, NH, VT, RI and MA) also prohibit disposal of Compact Fluorescent lamps as normal waste and require them to be recycled. In addition, there may be local county or city disposal restrictions in other states.
Many Commercial, Industrial and Government facilities recycle their fluorescent and HID lamps today due to a variety of state and/or local regulations affecting lamp disposal, internal company policies requiring all lamps to be recycled to minimize liability, or due to participation in environmental building programs such as LEED. Many of these businesses are now in the process of replacing their first LED purchases with even more efficient products. These items are also capable of being recycled.
States requiring commercial, industrial, government facilities to recycle:
At least 10 states (CA, NY, MN, ME, NH, VT, RI, MA, CT and FL) have laws that limit or prohibit facilities from disposing of fluorescent or HID lamps as normal waste. Laws in these states generally require that fluorescent and HID lamps be recycled as a Universal Waste. Facilities generating a large amount of hazardous waste in any state are regulated by federal rules requiring many lamp types to be recycled as Universal Waste. In addition, there may be local county or city disposal restrictions.
Building facility managers often find it convenient to utilize Recycling Box programs sold by Electrical Distributors.