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Home > Rebates > Compact floursecent bulbs

• Rebates
• Compact fluorescent bulbs
• Cool Roof

CFLs are good for the environment -

but don't forget to recycle old bulbs

One of the quickest and easiest ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions is to replace incandescent lights with compact fluorescent bulbs. CFLs have the added benefit of lasting eight to 10 times longer than traditional incandescents, and they save you money, too.

Replacing just one incandescent bulb with a CFL will save you about $30 on your annual electric bill. For those concerned about global warming and leaving a cleaner world for future generations, CFLs are a positive step.

But it’s important to recycle CFLs, as they contain small amounts of mercury. California law forbids the disposal of any lamps containing mercury in the regular solid waste trash.

SMUD is working with state and local agencies to develop better recycling options and drive the industry toward developing CFLs with lower quantities of mercury. In the SMUD service area, mercury-containing bulbs can be recycled at the following locations. See disposal information below.

Recycling old CFLs

California law forbids the disposal of any lamps containing mercury in the regular solid waste trash.

A compact fluorescent light bulb generally contains an average of five milligrams of mercury – about one-fifth the amount of mercury in an average watch battery, and one-hundredth the amount of mercury in an amalgam dental filling. No mercury is released when CFLs are intact or in use.

Cleaning up a broken CFL

If a CFL breaks, your greatest risk is being cut by broken glass. The Environmental Protection Agency offers the following clean-up and disposal guidelines:

• Open a window and leave the room for 15 minutes or more.
• Carefully scoop up the fragments and powder with stiff paper or cardboard and place in a sealed plastic bag.
• Use disposable rubber gloves if available. Wipe the area clean with damp paper towels or disposal wet wipes and place them in the plastic bag.
• Place all cleanup materials in a second sealed plastic bag.
• Store the plastic articles in an outdoor area until they can be recycled properly at one of the sites listed below.
• If a CFL breaks on a rug or carpet, remove as much of the material as possible without using a vacuum cleaner. Sticky tape can be used to pick up small pieces and powder.
• If vacuuming is needed, clean the area where the bulb was broken, remove the vacuum bag and put the bag or vacuum debris in sealed plastic bags. Store the sealed articles in an outdoor area until they can be properly recycled.

Disposal of CFLs

You can go to Home Depot and hand the unbroken bulbs to the employee behind the returns desk. For other methods of disposal:

If you live in the city of Sacramento, schedule an appointment for curbside pickup by calling the Department of Utilities at (916) 808-5454 or drop off the bulbs at any of these retail outlets:

• Greenhaven Ace Hardware, 388 Florin Road
• Hollywood Hardware, 5303 Freeport Blvd.
• Capitol Ace Hardware, 1815 I St.
• Cook's Ace Hardware, 2125 Del Paso Blvd.

Sacramento County residents can bring household hazardous waste to the North Area Recovery Station free of charge. For more information call Customer Service at (916) 875-5555.

The city of Folsom offers curbside pickup as well as recycling bins in several retail shops. Visit the Web site for more.

 

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