Proper Disposal and Cleanup of Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs

Most business owners understand the benefits of replacing their buildings' incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent (CFL) light bulbs. CFLs use less energy while lasting longer than incandescent bulbs, helping to increase energy-efficiency and lower utility bills. However, what business owners may not know is how to recycle these energy-saving bulbs and what to do if one breaks.

Because CFLs contain a small amount of mercury, they need to be kept out of recycling and garbage bins. This ensures that they stay out of landfills where they can harm the environment. PSE, participating retailers and public facilities make it easy to properly recycle your business' burnt out bulbs at convenient locations throughout the region. Click here for a list of recycling locations near your business.

And if a CFL breaks in your building, here are some tips on cleanup:

Cleanup broken bulb

• Air out the room before cleanup
• For hard surfaces and carpet, carefully scoop up glass pieces and powder using stiff paper or cardboard and place them in a glass jar with metal lid (such as a canning jar) or in a sealed plastic bag.
• Use sticky tape, such as duct tape, to pick up any remaining small glass fragments and powder.
• Wipe the area clean with damp paper towels or disposable wet wipes. Place towels in the glass jar or plastic bag.
• If vacuuming is needed after all visible materials are removed, vacuum the area where the bulb was broken.
• Remove the vacuum bag (or empty and wipe the canister), and put the bag or vacuum debris in a sealed plastic bag.
• Do not use a vacuum or broom to clean up the broken bulb on hard surfaces.
• If clothing or bedding materials come in direct contact with broken glass or mercury-containing powder from inside the bulb that may stick to the fabric, the clothing or bedding should be thrown away. Do not wash such clothing or bedding because mercury fragments in the clothing may contaminate the machine and/or pollute sewage.
• You can, however, wash clothing or other materials that have been exposed to the mercury vapor from a broken CFL, such as the clothing you are wearing when you cleaned up the broken CFL, as long as that clothing has not come into direct contact with the materials from the broken bulb.
• If shoes come into direct contact with broken glass or mercury-containing powder from the bulb, wipe them off with damp paper towels or disposable wet wipes. Place the towels or wipes in a glass jar or plastic bag for disposal.

Dispose of cleanup materials 

• Immediately place all clean-up materials outdoors in a trash container or protected area for the next normal trash pickup.
• Wash your hands after disposing of the jars or plastic bags containing clean-up materials. 
• Check with your local or state government about disposal requirements in your specific area. Some states do not allow such trash disposal. Instead, they require that broken and unbroken mercury-containing bulbs be taken to a local recycling center.
• Air out the room during and after vacuuming

Click here for more detailed information on CFL cleanup and disposal from the Environmental Protection Agency. 

Bainbridge Island Chamber of Commerce Luncheon

PSE's Andy Wappler will speak to Bainbridge Island Chamber of Commerce members about energy-efficiency opportunities with PSE.