Recycling CFLs?

[aka Larry]

I'm slowing upgrading my interior lighting to LED, which will leave me with quite a few CFLs. I know they contain toxic Mercury so I'm not going to simply toss them in the trash.

What should I do with them?

 

[Stuart in MN]

This site lists some locations in North Carolina where you can recycle them: http://portal.ncdenr.org/web/deao/recycling/fluorescent-lights/recycling-options

 

[Dick in Wisconsin]

Our ACE Hardware store takes them.

Why are you pitching your CFLs for LEDs?

The CFLs are pretty energy efficient already over incandescent. The electrical cost savings going from CFLs to LEDs will be very low ... you've already had the BIG lift going from incandescent to CFL. LEDs have come down in price, but aren't cheap.

Enlighten us.

 

[aka Larry]

Our ACE Hardware store takes them.

Why are you pitching your CFLs for LEDs?

The CFLs are pretty energy efficient already over incandescent. The electrical cost savings going from CFLs to LEDs will be very low ... you've already had the BIG lift going from incandescent to CFL. LEDs have come down in price, but aren't cheap.

Enlighten us.

My kitchen currently has BR30 CFLs and they take several minutes to reach full brightness. Also I don't prefer their old school soft white color. The new LEDs are instant on, and will match the 5000K "Daylight" color I prefer.

 

[bagged89s10]

My kitchen currently has BR30 CFLs and they take several minutes to reach full brightness. Also I don't prefer their old school soft white color. The new LEDs are instant on, and will match the 5000K "Daylight" color I prefer.

I've been buying LED bulbs when I need you as my CFL's are starting to burn out. I had no idea they contain mercury though. I guess I should not throw them in the garbage anymore

 

[gregtwojeeps]

Check your city trash pickup web site or give them a call. Mine has a place their customers can take any CFL/fluorescent lamps, along with TV's, computers, etc.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

IIRCC home depot takes them...

My kitchen currently has BR30 CFLs and they take several minutes to reach full brightness. Also I don't prefer their old school soft white color. The new LEDs are instant on, and will match the 5000K "Daylight" color I prefer.

U can get CFLs that are daylight color...Ive got several for outside...

 

[aka Larry]

U can get CFLs that are daylight color...Ive got several for outside...

I know, all my outside CFLs are 5000K, but if I'm going to be buying new anyway, might as well go to LEDs IMO.

 

[screff]

The Lowes' in my area take them as well - SE Ohio

 

[bigroomboy]

The light from CFLs is **** and they are so dim even when you have waited 2 days for them to worm up. Good led lights are instant on, brighter as they are directional and a much better representation if the full colour spectrum. I hope I never see a CFL again!

 

[wyliesdiesels]

The light from CFLs is **** and they are so dim even when you have waited 2 days for them to worm up. Good led lights are instant on, brighter as they are directional and a much better representation if the full colour spectrum. I hope I never see a CFL again!

I agree about the poor light output but many of us still cannot afford or justify the higher cost of LEDs.

The price will come down to an affordable price eventually. I remember when CFLs first came out they were VERY expensive!

 

[6768rogues]

Send them to your congressman. They are the ones who pushed them on us. All I want is a simple old fashioned 100 watt light bulb for my trouble light; the kind that used to be 4 in a package for a dollar. Now I can't see what I am doing because all I can get is a low wattage bulb and I don't want a mercury spill, I don't want to wait for a bulb to warm up and I don't want a high dollar bulb in a light that will get dropped.

 

[toyotadriver]

Send them to your congressman. They are the ones who pushed them on us. All I want is a simple old fashioned 100 watt light bulb for my trouble light; the kind that used to be 4 in a package for a dollar. Now I can't see what I am doing because all I can get is a low wattage bulb and I don't want a mercury spill, I don't want to wait for a bulb to warm up and I don't want a high dollar bulb in a light that will get dropped.

Most LED bulbs aren't very fragile. Some are even made of plastic now. WAY more durable than the old incandescent.

CFLs were ok but are going away now that LED are becoming affordable. I'm building my house and will install all LED bulbs. I have 8 100 watt equivalent bulbs in my shop. Nice and bright and all of them running use something like 160 watts. The same number of incandescent bulbs would use 800 watts! I love them.

And I just throw away the CFLs. The amount of mercury in them is miniscule.

 

[walrus]

Most LED bulbs aren't very fragile. Some are even made of plastic now. WAY more durable than the old incandescent.

CFLs were ok but are going away now that LED are becoming affordable. I'm building my house and will install all LED bulbs. I have 8 100 watt equivalent bulbs in my shop. Nice and bright and all of them running use something like 160 watts. The same number of incandescent bulbs would use 800 watts! I love them.

And I just throw away the CFLs. The amount of mercury in them is miniscule.

Throwing them away is illegal in Maine and I'll bet many other states

 

[Keel]

Throwing them away is illegal in Maine and I'll bet many other states

all 50

 

[SMKS]

http://ext.homedepot.com/shopping-tools/light-bulbs/allaboutcfl.html

The Home Depot is proud to offer free CFL recycling in all U.S. stores.

 

[CNGsaves]

If they still work, no reason to throw out CFL's.

Donate them to ReStore . . . . someone will put them to use !!

 

[aka Larry]

If they still work, no reason to throw out CFL's.

Donate them to ReStore . . . . someone will put them to use !!

We are getting a ReStore here soon. Sounds like a plan. Thanks!

 

[CJ7VFR]

All I want is a simple old fashioned 100 watt light bulb for my trouble light; the kind that used to be 4 in a package for a dollar. Now I can't see what I am doing because all I can get is a low wattage bulb and I don't want a mercury spill, I don't want to wait for a bulb to warm up and I don't want a high dollar bulb in a light that will get dropped.

You can buy Halogen bulbs from Home Depot or Lowes, that are the same shape and size as the old 100 watt incandescent screw in bulbs, and use them in your shop light. They only use 72 watts of electricity, but put out the same amount of light as the old 100 watt incandescents.

I have a few of these in my old shoplights, and I knock them around and drop the lights sometimes, and the Halogen bulbs are holding up fine.

Maybe this would be an alternative for you. They cost about $2.50 for a two pack.

Jim

 

[bzinsky]

Our ACE Hardware store takes them.

Why are you pitching your CFLs for LEDs?

The CFLs are pretty energy efficient already over incandescent. The electrical cost savings going from CFLs to LEDs will be very low ... you've already had the BIG lift going from incandescent to CFL. LEDs have come down in price, but aren't cheap.

Enlighten us.

I used to preach this, but recently started replacing my cfl's with LED.

The warm up is what bothers me. If it was simply a case of cost analysis, I probably wouldn't, but LED's are just better in the very few ways a light bulb can be better.

Also, I literally just did the same exact thing as him, I had recessed br30's in my kitchen. I replaced them with LED that were rated for similar lumen output. I have 6 recessed cans. To compare them I replaced 1 of them with LED, flipped the switch, and the one LED seemed brighter than the remaining 5 cfl's combined. 2 minutes later they were about equal, but it's nice not to have to wait now.

I have candle based cfl's that suffered from the same issue. All my regular cfl's don't seem to have the warm up problem and I haven't lost one since I installed them in '08.

 

[G_P]

You can still buy "rough service" 100w incandescent. They can be expensive though.
They are the bulbs covered in a coating to prevent glass from going everywhere if they are dropped.

 

[Off-Street Parking]

If they still work, no reason to throw out CFL's.

Donate them to ReStore . . . . someone will put them to use !!

My local ReStore locations won't take them (or any other fluorescent lights).... Does yours?

 

[aka Larry]

Update.

I have a friend who works with the local chapter of H4H, and I donated all my used CFLs to them.

Thanks for the suggestions everyone!

 

[SMKS]

My local ReStore locations won't take them (or any other fluorescent lights).... Does yours?

My local stores has tons of fluorescent lamps for sale.

EDIT - my local store's website seems to indicate they'll only take flourescent bulbs if they're new in the package. I guess I've never a seen a CFL there, but judging by this they would only take it if it was new.

So you're mostly right, the OP probably couldn't donate them to a Restore.

Fluorescent Lights
-Ballast label must read “No PCBs”
-Ballast must be exposed at time of donation for inspection
-No bulbs
-Limited donations will be received for older fixtures using T-12 bulbs (bulbs are no longer manufactured)
Bulbs
-MUST be new and still in packaging

 

[shamrock12]

I use both CFLs and LEDs, depending on their application. For outdoor light fixtures, I use LEDs as they are running for several hours each night, so the energy saving is there. I also use them for indoor security lights too. For garage, attic, closets, etc I use incandescent as they don't get used often and is cheap to replace if they get broken by an object. However, I am switching over to CFLs as incandescent are getting expensive today. For rest of the house, I am currently using instant-on CFLs. While some of them may be running for a few hours or so each night, it is not enough for me to justify switching over to LEDs just yet. I predict I will be doing that in probably 3-5 years from now when the prices of LEDs drop further. I just recently bought a Feit Electric brand two-pack of 100watts equivalent LED bulbs which was $18 at Menards

 

[Randy in Maine]

I switched over my trouble lights to LEDs and they no longer burn my arm when I lean into it. They just don't get hot.

Plus they don't break easily when I drop the light.

 

[Showkey]

I predict I will be doing that in probably 3-5 years from now when the prices of LEDs drop further. I just recently bought a Feit Electric brand two-pack of 100watts equivalent LED bulbs which was $18 at Menards

Agree but I do not think it will take 3-5 years.........the T8 replacement need to come way down to make sense. The T8 LEC price vary widely in price and quality ..........best to wait until the market settles down.

Right now:
Look for power company instant rebates on LED. COSTCO in my area the Power co. instant rebated LED 40 and 60 equivalent for a cost out the door $1.00 each and BR30 flood for $2.50 each. Needless to say I and everyone stocked up.

CFL have gotten dirt cheap and many times 40-60-100 watt equivalent can be found for .25-.35 each when purchased in a multi pack.