How to get rid of light bulbs
Let’s shed some light on a topic that can be murky: how to get rid of light bulbs. Some types of light bulbs can go in your regular trash, some can be recycled through special recycling programs, and others contain mercury and must be handled carefully. With this simple explainer, you won’t find yourself in the dark next time you need to get rid of an old light bulb.
Contents
1. How to get rid of incandescent light bulbs
2. How to get rid of halogen bulbs
3. How to get rid of compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs)
How to get rid of incandescent light bulbs
Picture an incandescent light bulb, and you may think of the inventor Thomas Edison. The incandescent light bulb, which converts electricity into light by heating a filament, was invented in the 1800s.
Incandescent light bulbs are much less energy-efficient than other lighting options available today. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, 90% of their energy is released as heat and only 10% as light. They also only last 750 to 2,000 hours, far less than other lighting options.
Once an incandescent bulb stops working, you can throw it in your regular trash. But your household supply of these bulbs may be dwindling. In 2023, the DOE began requiring that light bulbs meet a minimum brightness standard of 45 lumens per watt, effectively banning the manufacture and sale of common household incandescent light bulbs. It’s a move that the Biden administration said would save Americans $3 billion a year on utility bills and cut carbon emissions by 222 million metric tons over the next three decades.
How to get rid of halogen bulbs
A halogen light bulb is similar to an incandescent light bulb and uses halogen gas to extend its light output and lifespan. Typically, halogen lamps are thicker than incandescent light bulbs, and they tend to last longer: about 2,000 to 4,000 hours.
Like incandescent bulbs, halogen bulbs are less efficient than other lighting options available today, and so are being phased out by the DOE’s new efficiency standards. Once your halogen bulbs have stopped working, you can throw them in your regular trash.
How to get rid of compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs)
Introduced as a residential lighting option in the 1980s, CFLs often have a distinctive spiral form. They last about 8 to 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs, and are about 75% more efficient. Because they contain a small amount of mercury (about 4 milligrams each, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency), these bulbs should NOT be thrown in your trash. When the glass bulbs break, they can cause harm to human health or the environment when mercury vapor or small beads escape.
The EPA recommends — and so do we — that CFLs be safely recycled using recycling options available in your community or mail-in programs. The same goes for fluorescent light tubes, which also contain mercury. In some states, including California, CFLs and fluorescent tubes are banned from landfills.
Many hardware stores and other retailers, such as Lowe’s, offer CFL recycling options. Call your local store to confirm they will take your bulbs. Check out our Household Guides to see what options are available where you live.
Like incandescents, CFLs are expected to be phased out as the federal government increases energy efficiency standards, shifting usage to LEDs. Some states, including California, are already restricting CFLs.
An Important Note about Broken CFLs
Breaking a CFL bulb is a serious situation, and you’ll need to act quickly to reduce mercury exposure. Here is what the EPA recommends:
Clear people and pets from the room where the bulb broke.
Open a window or door to the outside for 5 to 10 minutes to air out the room. Turn off the HVAC system if one was on.
Collect broken glass and visible powder using materials like damp paper towels and cardboard and put everything in a sealable container, like a plastic bag or glass jar.
Move all debris and cleanup materials outside until you can properly dispose of them.
Check your local hazardous waste center for guidelines about disposing of broken CFLs.
Air out the room where the bulb broke for several more hours (and keep the HVAC system off).
Check out the EPA’s CFL clean-up guide for more detailed guidance.
How to get rid of LED light bulbs
Light-emitting diodes, or LEDs, had a humble beginning: as indicator lights. But this technology, which uses a semiconductor to convert electricity into light, has taken off rapidly, improving in performance and application to become a wildly popular lighting option. The DOE estimates that by 2035, most lighting installations will use LED lighting.
LEDs are highly energy efficient — good news for your utility bills. Residential LEDs use up to 90% less energy and last up to 25 times longer than incandescent lighting. According to the DOE, households that use LEDs save $225 a year in energy costs.
Since LED bulbs do not contain mercury, they can be disposed of in the trash similar to incandescent bulbs. But LED components can be recycled, so we recommend giving them new life instead of tossing them in your trash. Lowe’s offers in-store recycling bins for LEDs and other lightbulb types. Call before you go to check that your local store has an LED recycling program.
Not sure what can be recycled in your community? Check out Recycle by City’s Recycling Guides for more information.
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