How To Properly Dispose Of Your Light Bulbs When They Burn Out

We recently came upon an article on ecmweb.com about how LEDtronics, a LED manufacturer company based in California (“America’s Premium Brand LED Company”), is helping sponsor the Green Light’s Initiative (GLI). The GLI is a campaign that helps consumers learn how to properly recycle lighting products. The campaign started on August 20th and runs until October 20th (60 days). KB Electric LLC thought that it would be a great idea to piggyback off of the article to spread the awareness as well by writing a blog on how to properly dispose of your light bulbs when they burn out.

How To Properly Dispose of Your Light Bulbs

The best way to get rid of your non-working light bulbs around your home is to take them to a local light bulb recycling center, or home improvement store instead of throwing the bulbs out in your regular trash or recycle bin. Why? Because it’s the best thing for our environment! Depending on the type of light bulb, taking them to a recycling center that recycles bulbs is the safest option.

• How To Dispose of Incandescent and Halogen Bulbs

When incandescent and halogen bulbs stop working, it’s best to recycle them. These two types of bulbs don’t contain any harmful chemicals like mercury, so they are pretty easy to recycle. The glass on these types can easily break, so make sure to wrap them up in something like paper that’s also recyclable to protect them from damage. Find a local recycle center that recycles these, or a home improvement store near you. (see bottom of this blog for local recycle centers)

• How To Dispose of LEDs

LEDs contain no harmful chemicals, so recycling them is easy as well. You could throw them in your trash since they don’t contain mercury, but their components are recyclable, so taking them to a light bulb recycle center that accepts LEDs is the better option!

• How To Dispose of CFL and Fluorescent Bulbs

These two types of light bulbs contain mercury, and SHOULD NOT be thrown out in your regular garbage can. When they are broken, CFL and fluorescent bulbs are damaging to our landfills, and our environment as a whole. Because these types of bulbs have stricter guidelines for disposal, call your local recycling center to see if they can recycle these. If not, a local home improvement store or hazardous waste collection program will be able to help as well with their disposals.

Where Is My Local Recycling Center?

So, now that you know not to chuck the bulbs in the trash, or with your regular plastics and paper in the recycle bin, you might be wondering where you can take them. KB Electric LLC has provided a list of local recycling centers for our area that recycles light bulbs. Call them for more information about any type of light bulb you want them to recycle. If you don’t see one on the list that is close to you, visit this website to find your local recycling center, home improvement store, or hazardous waste center/collection program for the disposal of your bulbs: https://search.earth911.com/

Local Recycle Centers In Our Area:

*Call to make sure that they can take your specific bulb type. Also, call your local home improvement store like Home Depot or Lowe’s in addition to the below recycle centers.

Batteries Plus Bulbs – 777 Bethlehem Pike Montgomeryville, PA 18936. Phone: (215) 749-2199

Batteries Plus Bulbs – 509 York Rd Warminster, PA 18974. Phone: (215) 672-5200

Batteries Plus Bulbs – 154 Baltimore Pike Springfield, PA 19064. Phone: (610) 543-1672

Montgomery County Household Hazardous Waste Collection Program – Norristown, PA. Call for event days/times: (610) 278-3618