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Light bulbs (fluorescent)
Accepted at 1 location
Fluorescent lamps are low-pressure mercury-vapor gas-discharge lamps that use fluorescence to produce visible light.
Material Details
Also known as: Fluorescent Tubes, Fluorescent Lamps
Parent material: Light Bulbs
Accepted Locations

Last updated on June 15, 2026 by Green Star GM
About Light bulbs (fluorescent)
What it is
A small amount of mercury vapor present within the sealed glass fluorescent lamp absorbs ultra-violet light and allows visible light to be emitted. All fluorescent lamps contain elemental mercury, which is why the United States Environmental Protection Agency recommends that fluorescent lamps be segregated from general waste for recycling or safe disposal, and some jurisdictions require recycling of them.
How it’s recycled
Fluorescent tubes are shipped to a bulb recycler that uses special machines to extract the mercury and breaks down the aluminum caps and glass casing. Glass tubing can be turned into new glass articles, brass and aluminum in end caps can be reused, the internal coating can be reprocessed for use in paint pigments, and the mercury contained in the lamp can be reclaimed and used in new lamps.
How to prepare it
Store fluorescent light bulbs in containers that prevent them from breaking, such as in their original boxes, boxes from replacement bulbs, or containers supplied by fluorescent light bulb recyclers. Recyclers generally require that the light bulbs arrive unbroken.
Common mistakes
It is illegal to throw fluorescent lamps into a garbage can or dumpster. Vacuuming is not recommended unless broken glass remains after all other cleanup steps have been taken, as vacuuming could spread mercury-containing powder or mercury vapor. Do not break or crush lamps because mercury will be released, and do not tape them together.
Environmental impact
When these bulbs are thrown into regular trash bins and end up in landfills, the mercury can leach into the soil and water, contaminating ecosystems and potentially entering the food chain. The mercury in bulbs dumped at landfills can leach out into the water supply, be converted into a highly toxic form called methylmercury and work its way back into the food chain.
Did you know?
According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs) on average contain only about four milligrams of mercury, which might seem insignificant compared to 500 milligrams of mercury in older thermometers.
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