Housekeeping · 폐형광등 분리배출

Dispose of mercury-containing fluorescent bulbs without breaking them

Fluorescent lamps and many CFLs contain mercury. Keep them intact and check local recycling or hazardous-waste options.

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Wikimedia Commons · © Raimond Spekking / CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons); original unmodified photograph. · CC BY-SA 4.0 ↗

The U.S. EPA recommends local recycling or hazardous-waste collection for mercury-containing CFLs and fluorescent tubes instead of ordinary trash. LEDs and incandescent bulbs may follow different rules. Disposal locations and requirements always depend on local authorities.

Your try-it-at-home checklist

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Identify whether the lamp is LED, a fluorescent tube or a spiral CFL; consult the product information when uncertain.
Turn power off and let the lamp cool before replacement. Follow the maker's instructions without twisting or crushing fragile glass.
Keep intact mercury-containing CFLs and fluorescent tubes in original or protective packaging, out of children's reach until disposal.
Check your municipality for fluorescent-lamp drop-off bins, recycling centers or hazardous-waste collection rules; do not mix incompatible bulb types.
Do not crush lamps or toss them loosely into general trash. If a CFL breaks, do not immediately vacuum the fragments; use the EPA's broken-CFL cleanup advice and local rules.
Confirm the accepted lamp types, opening times and broken-lamp procedures with the local collection program before visiting.

Your try-it-at-home checklist

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