Waste & Materials Management

How Do I Handle My Waste Materials?

Recycling & Reuse

Resident Recycling & Composting

Business, Government & MRF Recycling

Recycling Education & Outreach

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Special Topics

Fluorescent and Other Light Bulbs

Material Description

Many types of bulbs contain metals such as mercury at toxic levels, Examples include:

  • tube- and compact-style fluorescent bulbs;
  • mercury vapor bulbs (high intensity lamps with blue-white, originally used as farmyard lights);
  • metal halide bulbs (newer, more efficient high intensity lights); and
  • high and low pressure sodium vapor bulbs (yellow light used for outdoor security lighting).

These bulbs should be properly disposed of to avoid contaminating the environment or harming human health.

The use of compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) is becoming increasingly popular and has many environmental benefits. CFL's certified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Energy Star Program [exit DNR], CFLs use up to 75 percent less energy than a standard incandescent bulb, potentially helping to reduce mercury emissions from coal-fired power plants. They also last up to 10 times longer, and save $30 or more in electricity costs over the life of the bulb.

Bulbs can still pose an environmental hazard if not disposed of properly. Despite claims by manufacturers that "green" lamps can be safely landfilled, CFLs contain trace amounts of mercury and should be properly recycled. While the amount of mercury in each bulb is small, about 4 - 5mg, mercury pollutes the air and water when it ends up in landfills or incinerators.

Environmental Impacts

Mercury, lead and other heavy metals all have the potential to be hazardous wastes. If bulbs break, are burned or are landfilled, the heavy metals in them can be released into the environment. This risk makes it important to properly dispose of bulbs (including CFLs) that contain these heavy metals.

If they are properly disposed of, the use of energy-efficient CFLs can reduce mercury emissions in the environment because the bulbs require less electricity than traditional, incandescent bulbs. (In Wisconsin, most electricity is produced by coal-fired power plants, which release mercury into the atmosphere.) The U.S. EPA estimates that power plants will emit 10mg of mercury to power an incandescent bulb over five years, in comparison with 2.4 mg of mercury to power a CFL over the same period of time. Using CFLs also results in reductions of other air emissions from power plants, including carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas.

For more information on mercury and its environmental and human health effects, visit EPA's mercury page [exit DNR].

Too Valuable to Waste

Metals such as mercury and lead are also valuable and can be recovered for reuse. Because of this, it is important to recycle used bulbs whenever possible.

Recycling rates for CFLs and other light bulbs need to be improved. According to a November 2004 report by the Association of Lighting and Mercury Recyclers, an estimated 70.8 percent of the mercury-containing lamps used by business and 98 percent of the lamps used in homes are NOT being recycled. As more households begin using CFLs, it becomes even more important to make sure those lights do not end up in landfills or incinerators.

Legal Requirements

Because of the mercury or other toxic substances the bulbs contain, businesses and institutions are responsible for properly storing and recycling used bulbs that are considered hazardous waste. This would include tube-style fluorescents and CFLs. For more information on the requirements for businesses and institutions, refer to ch. NR 673, Wis. Adm. Code [PDF 82KB, exit DNR].

The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has no legal requirements for disposing of bulbs that come strictly from households. Household waste is excluded from regulation as a hazardous waste identified in ch. NR 661, Wis. Adm. Code, [PDF 323KB, exit DNR]. However, the DNR encourages households to recycle bulbs when possible, and if a household hazardous waste (such as mercury-containing bulbs) is taken to a clean sweep event or a household hazardous waste collection facility, the exemption no longer applies.

Residents should also check with their local county recycling program to see if there are local restrictions related to bulb disposal.

For more information, see DNR's guidance on safe lamp and bulb management [PDF 52KB].

Preferred Handling Option: Recycle!

In most communities, there are several options for recycling used bulbs, and tube-style fluorescents and CFLs in particular. Incandescent bulbs can contain significant quantities of lead in the base of the bulb, and should also be recycled to protect the environment. The DNR recommends that even "green" fluorescent bulbs be recycled, because they often do contain measurable amounts of mercury.

For CFLs in particular, there are several recycling options. First, try to buy your bulbs at a store that will take them back for recycling. A growing number of retailers, including several large national chains, are providing this service. Doing this makes it very easy to recycle old bulbs when you go in for replacements. If this is not an option, look into a clean sweep program [exit DNR] in your area.

To find a recycler in your area:

For more information on CFLs, their environmental impacts and recycling them, visit:

Safe Handling

To safely handle your waste lamps and bulbs, place them in the box they were purchased in or the special cartons provided by a recycler. For CFLs, make sure used bulbs are placed in sturdy cartons and store them in a safe place to avoid breakage.

The breakage of an individual bulb does not require a hazardous material response. Visit EPA's Web site for clean-up and disposal guidelines [exit DNR]

For more detailed handling requirements, refer to ch. NR 673, Wis. Adm. Code [exit DNR].

Last Revised: Thursday October 29 2009