Recycling Compact Fluorescent Lightbulbs

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Compact Fluorescents have come a long way—they last longer, burn brighter, and look more like regular incandescent bulbs than ever before. There's just one little problem—they contain mercury. So when your CFLs burn out, you'll need to dispose of them properly.

To ensure that even the smallest traces of mercury don't end up in our landfills and water supplies, some companies that sell or manufacture compact fluorescent bulbs are coming up with their own recycling programs. Some WalMart locations host occasional CFL collections. And Sylvania has partnered with Veolia Environmental Services to offer prepaid recycling kits. The kits come in two sizes: One holds 15 CFLs and costs about $15; the "community pail" holds 90 CFLs and costs about $80. You use included shipping labels to mail them back to Veolia, which separates and recycles the metal, glass, and mercury.

For information on CFL recycling programs in your area, go to lamprecycling.org.

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