Thanks to a passionate donor and huge community support, since 2020 Green Star has accepted residential fluorescent tube lamps for recycling! We accept fluorescent tube lamps for recycling at our 2134 Texaco Ave. warehouse. We can accept all lengths and wattages of fluorescent light tubes. For years, the only option Fairbanks residents have had to recycle these lamps has been expensive, mail-in bulk kits that required a minimum of 64 lamps. That’s not practical for a household that needs to recycle 1-2 lamps per year. Green Star is thrilled to be able to provide a safe and affordable option for Fairbanks residents to recycle their fluorescent tube lamps.
How do I recycle fluorescent tubes?
If you are a resident or small business in Fairbanks with under 50 tubes to recycle, call (907) 452-4152 to schedule an appointment to drop off your lamps for recycling at Green Star during business hours. Our recycling fee is by donation. We ask those who can afford to pay to help cover the cost of recycling the tubes with an equivalent donation, though no one will be turned away for inability to pay. If you are excited by Green Star offering this service, and want to see it continue, please consider donating a little extra! You can donate by cash, card or check when you come to the warehouse, or online at www.iagreenstar.org/donate (make sure to select that your donation is for “fluorescent light recycling” on our form). Learn more about how to identify and prepare your lights for recycling in our interactive recycling guide.
What if I have more than 50 lamps or a different kind of bulb to recycle?
If you are a larger business with over 50 lamps, please contact North Coast Electric to purchase a recycling kit. If you have Compact Fluorescent Bulbs (the curly fluorescent light bulbs) or High Intensity Discharge (HID) bulbs, you can safely recycle them for free at Home Depot. Old filament-style incandescent and newer LED bulbs do not contain easily recyclable or toxic material, so should be landfilled.
What happens to the fluorescent lamps after I drop them off for recycling?
We ship the lights to EcoLights Northwest LLC in Washington state, where they are safely recycled. From their website: “During recycling, lamps are crushed and the various materials are separated under a continuous vacuum filtration process. The glass, aluminum and mercury-bearing phosphor powder is captured safely and recycled for use in other products.”
Why should I recycle fluorescent lamps?
All fluorescent tubes and compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) contain small amounts of mercury. Only about 25% of the 680 million lights discarded each year are recycled. The remainder are disposed of in solid waste landfills and incinerators, posing a threat to the environment and human health. Just half a teaspoon of mercury can contaminate a stream or lake, making the fish inedible. It is also a neurotoxin to humans, affecting the brain, kidneys, and liver.
NOTE: All other electronic recycling should still be brought to the Fairbanks North Star Borough’s Central Recycling Facility. Green Star is only accepting fluorescent light tubes for recycling because the Borough does not want to handle them.
