Earth Day Special: 8 Resources for CFL Recycling

If you're going to use CFLs - compact fluorescent light bulbs (also called lamps) - to save energy, please be sure to dispose of them properly; they contain mercury, and therefore require special handling.

Resources in the USA

1. The San Francisco Chronicle ran an article today that included information about disposing of CFLs in the Bay Area.

2. A great resources for those living anywhere in the USA is Earth 911.

3. As Environmental Defense suggests, you can call 1-800-CLEAN-UP or "contact your local government agency in charge of household hazard waste (start with your sanitation department) to see if recycling is an option in your area."

4. As Lighter Footstep points out in How to Live with CFLs, you can recycle them by mail - but it's not cheap.

5. Sylvania also sells packages to mail back bulbs for recycling.

6. You can bring them back to IKEA for recycling - and give IKEA credit for being a leader in this area.

Resources in Countries Other Than the USA

7. The New Zealand Ministry for the Environment has information on safe disposal of CFLs.

8. BC Hydro lists CFL recycling locations in British Columbia, Canada.

If you know of other resources, please share the information by leaving a comment.