How do i dispose of my fluorescent light bulb?

Question

It jsut went out. I heard it has mercury in it! It didnt even last long.

What should I do? Will I get mercury poising from being near it?

Answer 1

Probably Chinese, throw it away. only if you break it open and suck on the end

Answer 2

no, mercury! carbon gas... just throw it away..

Answer 3

They do contain small amounts of mercury.  Contact your sanitation department to see if they recycle fluorescent bulbs.  You can go to epa.gov/bulbrecycling to find recyclers.  If there are none in your area the EPA recommends sealing the bulbs in two plastic bags and put them in the trash.

Answer 4

Some stores, such as Lowe's, may have recycling bins. Don't worry about mercury; that's inside the tube.

Answer 5

They do contain mercury so it's good you're looking into proper disposal.

Contact your local solid waste dept. see if they have a recycling program. They may also have a household hazardous waste (HHW) program where you can drop things off or, like our state, they may have an event a couple times a year where you bring flourescent bulbs, paint, oil, pesticides, etc for disposable.  I think Federal law says they have to provide some type of HHW dispoal option but it may or may not include these bulbs.

It no option exists call/email the bulb company and ask them for advice.  

With the increased use of compact flourescent bulbs this is soon to be a BIG problem so EVERYONE should contact your county and the companies now so they'll be ready when all these bulbs burn out.

Good Luck.

Answer 6

Don't mix busted fluorescent bulb with other waste. Set it aside . When you have more of it, send it to an accredited recycler in your area.

The mercury in the tube is toxic if ingested. It is more toxic  if the mercury reacted with other substances to form a compound of mercury and come in contact with humans.

If you intend to open the tube, do so during winter, when mercury is in its liquid form. During hot days, it vaporizes to some extent that when inhaled, may cause lung problem.