Public Service Announcement

Because of what I do, please frequently ask me what they are supposed to do with their burnt out compact fluorescent light bulbs (or CFLs). By now, most people have gotten the message that you don't want to just throw them out (due to the small amounts of mercury they contain).

The easiest way to dispose of them is to take them to any Home Depot store (here's their store finder). They have partnered with EPA to start a CFL recycling program. You should also be able to take them to your local municipal waste collection, but you should investigate when they are open (you can start at EPA's website or here).

So, what do you do if you break a CFL? Here's EPA's take. You don't need to call a Haz Waste crew (though I do have my 40-hr Hazardous Waste Operator training up to date), but you should take some precautions.