Benefits of Recycling Light Bulbs

Why should you take the time to recycle your light bulbs (”lamps” is the proper industry term)? Because everyone is doing it. As it turns out, the number of lamps recycled annually has risen from 70 million in 1997 to 156 million in 2003.

Many companies offer the benefit of allowing you to mail back your old, burnt-out lamps free of charge. You may visit the manufacturers’ site for take-back programs or recycle your lamps using Earth911.

• NEMA estimates that lamp recycling, in 2003, recovered about 5,720 pounds of mercury.
• When lamps are recycled at the end of their usable lives, less than one-tenth (<.1) of one ton of mercury is released into the air.

With lamps such as compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs), mercury content needs to be taken into consideration before disposal.

Mercury is an extremely hazardous waste and is a major health concern when it comes in contact with humans and animals. In humans, mercury can cause brain and kidney damage. While many companies hope to have non-mercury CFLs in the near future, right now, such lamps are not widely available.