Time to Recycle your Fluorescent Light Bulbs?

Time to Recycle your Fluorescent Light Bulbs? logo
Lane County Waste Management, the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality and local electric utilities in the Eugene-Springfield community have teamed up to create a convenient residential recycling program for spent compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) and linear fluorescent tubes (4-foot maximum on tubes).

Residential electric customers in Lane County can drop off compact fluorescents light bulbs and linear fluorescent tubes up to four feet in length at participating recycling center.

Commercial businesses should contact Lane County Waste Management at 541-682-4120.

Visit search.earth911.com for more information about recycling fluorescent lighting.
  • Why is it important to recycle your fluorescent bulbs?
  • Fluorescent bulbs contain an extremely small amount of mercury that helps the light glow. The amount of mercury is so small that it does not pose a health risk to your family. However, we are working to keep large accumulations of these bulbs out of the landfills and to reuse other materials found in the bulbs.
  • How to clean up broken fluorescent lamps
  • Fluorescent light bulbs contain a small amount of mercury sealed within the glass tubing. When a fluorescent bulb breaks in your home, some of this mercury is released as mercury vapor. To minimize exposure to mercury vapor, EPA recommends that residents follow cleanup and disposal steps.
  • Be certain to sweep up (don’t vacuum) all of the glass fragments and phosphor powder. Place the broken pieces in a plastic bag and wipe the area with a damp paper towel to pick up any stray shards of glass or fine particles. Put the used towel in the plastic bag as well. Air out the area where the bulb was broken. Take the broken bulb and clean up materials to a local fluorescent bulb recycling center.

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