How to dispose light bulbs?

Light bulbs are one of those items that can be tricky to dispose of. It depends on what kind of light bulb you have. Some can be thrown away, some can be put in the recycling bin, and some need extra special treatment. read more

Recycling prevents the release of mercury into the environment. CFLs and other fluorescent bulbs often break when thrown into a dumpster, trash can or compactor, or when they end up in a landfill or incinerator. Learn more about CFLs and mercury. Other materials in the bulbs get reused. read more

A single light bulb can ruin a whole batch of perfectly recyclable glass. Light bulbs in craft projects Incandescent light bulbs can be used in many craft projects. Pinterest shows light bulbs transformed into vases, ornaments, ships in a bottle, and terrariums. Christmas lights can be used in jewelry or even to top Christmas gifts. read more

Ikea also has a recycling program, which accepts “used regular light bulbs.” How to dispose of CFL and fluorescent light bulbs. Unlike incandescent bulbs, CFL bulbs (or Compact Fluorescent Light bulbs) contain a small amount of mercury. Each bulb contains about four milligrams of the toxic metal. read more

Virtually all components of a fluorescent bulb can be recycled. Your area may prohibit disposal and/or require recycling. Some states and local jurisdictions have more stringent regulations than U.S. EPA does, and may require that you recycle CFLs and other mercury-containing light bulbs. read more