Compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) are the names given to the globes that are commonly used in energy saving lighting around the house. Disposing of these lights when you no longer need them, however, is highly important, as they contain a small amount of mercury that could prove dangerous if not handled correctly. These instructions should help you dispose of energy saving globes in the right way:
Burnt Out Globes
Locate your nearest recycling centre that also handles hazardous materials; make sure that they accept old CFLs. Follow any instructions that the employees of the centre give you, including how you should package the globes for recycling.
If you have no other option, place the light inside two plastic bags or one thick freezer bag, then put it into your rubbish bin.
Broken Globes
Open a window and leave the room, ensuring that no one enters it for at least 15 minutes. Then, go back in and collect the fragments of glass and powder using a piece of stiff paper or cardboard – never use a vacuum cleaner. Clean the entire area using a wet wipe or wet paper towel, then use a piece of sticky tape to ensure that all excess powder has been collected.
Place all of the CFL pieces that you have collected (as well as any cleaning materials, such as the wet ones) into a plastic bag. Dispose of this bag in the same way you would a burnt out globe.
Whilst the CFLs used in many of the energy saving lighting fixtures in our homes are highly beneficial in lessening our energy use and lowering our electricity bills, the small amounts of mercury that they contain can be harmful if the globes are not disposed of correctly. Follow the above instructions whenever you need new CFLs.
Burnt Out Globes
Locate your nearest recycling centre that also handles hazardous materials; make sure that they accept old CFLs. Follow any instructions that the employees of the centre give you, including how you should package the globes for recycling.
If you have no other option, place the light inside two plastic bags or one thick freezer bag, then put it into your rubbish bin.
Broken Globes
Open a window and leave the room, ensuring that no one enters it for at least 15 minutes. Then, go back in and collect the fragments of glass and powder using a piece of stiff paper or cardboard – never use a vacuum cleaner. Clean the entire area using a wet wipe or wet paper towel, then use a piece of sticky tape to ensure that all excess powder has been collected.
Place all of the CFL pieces that you have collected (as well as any cleaning materials, such as the wet ones) into a plastic bag. Dispose of this bag in the same way you would a burnt out globe.
Whilst the CFLs used in many of the energy saving lighting fixtures in our homes are highly beneficial in lessening our energy use and lowering our electricity bills, the small amounts of mercury that they contain can be harmful if the globes are not disposed of correctly. Follow the above instructions whenever you need new CFLs.
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