How to Dispose of a Broken CFL Bulb
By: Matt Turner
Updated: October 14, 2011
Compact fluorescent light bulbs are a great way to save money and protect the planet.
They last much longer than traditional bulbs, but also contain small amounts of mercury. That means consumers have to be careful when throwing them away.
"With the new CFL hitting the market several years ago, a lot of them are going to be burned out in the next couple of years," said Sean Stephan, Waste Management's Director of Sustainable Supplier Solutions. "There needs to be some solutions that are going to be offered."
One of the solutions offered by Waste Management can be found on a website called ThinkGreenFromHome.com.
It gives people the opportunity to order a special packet that lets them properly dispose of CFLs.
"A special foil-sealed envelope for your CFL light bulbs will hold 13 and you place that back inside this box and put it in your mailbox -- and off it goes," Stephan explained.
From there, you're old CFL bulbs are sent to a facility in Minnesota where the products are taken apart and safely recycled.
But what's the procedure if you happen to break a compact fluorescent in your home or business?
Stephan says to open your windows and allow the breeze to come in for about five to ten minutes. After that, grab a pair of rubber gloves and start the clean-up process.
He says it's a good idea to sweep up all the remnants of the CFL with a piece of cardboard. Once you've gathered pieces of the broken bulb, simply put it inside a zip-lock bag for proper disposal.
They last much longer than traditional bulbs, but also contain small amounts of mercury. That means consumers have to be careful when throwing them away.
"With the new CFL hitting the market several years ago, a lot of them are going to be burned out in the next couple of years," said Sean Stephan, Waste Management's Director of Sustainable Supplier Solutions. "There needs to be some solutions that are going to be offered."
One of the solutions offered by Waste Management can be found on a website called ThinkGreenFromHome.com.
It gives people the opportunity to order a special packet that lets them properly dispose of CFLs.
"A special foil-sealed envelope for your CFL light bulbs will hold 13 and you place that back inside this box and put it in your mailbox -- and off it goes," Stephan explained.
From there, you're old CFL bulbs are sent to a facility in Minnesota where the products are taken apart and safely recycled.
But what's the procedure if you happen to break a compact fluorescent in your home or business?
Stephan says to open your windows and allow the breeze to come in for about five to ten minutes. After that, grab a pair of rubber gloves and start the clean-up process.
He says it's a good idea to sweep up all the remnants of the CFL with a piece of cardboard. Once you've gathered pieces of the broken bulb, simply put it inside a zip-lock bag for proper disposal.
