Are Light Bulbs Recyclable?
The most simple of household items, like light bulbs, can present a real problem with recycling. Some simple household lightbulbs contain heavy metals that prevent them from being easily recycled. They have parts which may be made of mercury as well as other metals that present a hazard to the environment.
The EPA says that one teaspoon of mercury can contaminate a lake in such a way that it will last an infinite amount of time. Further, the mercury that is released from one fluorescent light bulb will be enough to pollute more than 5000 gallons of drinking water to levels that will make it unsafe to drink.
Energy Efficient Light Bulbs-Better or Worse?
The push is on to use fluorescent light bulbs to replace incandescent ones because they are more energy efficient.They are in fact more than twice as energy efficient than regular incandescent light bulbs.
Some states are actively campaigning to stop the manufacture of incandescent bulbs, but they’ve been met with resistance. The reason for this is that Fluorescent bulbs, while far more energy efficient are also far more dangerous to the environment.
Light bulbs should be recycled, but finding a way to accomplish it isn’t always easily done.
State Regulations
Many states have already put legislation in place or are planning it that will make it illegal to put a fluorescent light bulb into your trash. They are not considered to be universal waste in light of all the mercury they can release into the environment.
So far, in the states of Minnesota, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin and California, it is no longer legal to throw your fluorescent light bulbs in the regular trash and it is not legal for garbage haulers to take these to a regular landfill.
Another way to recycle light bulbs is to replace them. Learn more about replacement light bulbs here.
