DEQ.utah.gov - What = you should know about Mercury and CFL's

What you should know about = Mercury and=20 CFL's

Compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) are highly = efficient.=20 They use 75 percent less energy and on average last 7 to 10 times longer = than=20 standard incandescent bulbs. However, because CFLs contain tiny amounts = of=20 mercury (about five milligrams per bulb), proper disposal is = important.

Community Collection Programs

*Source: Salt Lake Tribune, June 13, 2007 =

Salt Lake County officials want eight libraries to be = new=20 recycling hot spots. Residents can take used fluorescent light bulbs to = the=20 following library branches:

Bingham Creek, 4834 W. 9000 South, West Jordan.=20
Calvin Smith, 810 E. 3300 South, Millcreek.=20
Whitmore, 2197 E. Fort Union Blvd. (about 7000 South), Cottonwood = Heights.=20
Draper, 1136 E. Pioneer Road (12400 South), Draper.=20
Hunter, 4740 W. 4100 South, West Valley City.
Magna, 8339 W. 3500 South, Magna.=20
South Jordan, 10673 S. Redwood Road (1700 West), South Jordan.=20
R.V. Tyler, 8041 Wood St. (55 West), Midvale.

The libraries are very convenient because they are right in people's=20 neighborhoods," Dorothy Adams of the Salt Lake Valley Health Department = said=20 Thursday.

Used compact fluorescent bulbs and fluorescent tubes should be = recycled=20 instead of tossed into the trash because they contain small amounts of = mercury,=20 which could seep into the earth at a landfill and pollute the = groundwater.

The county has been pushing residents to switch to energy-saving = fluorescent=20 light bulbs for some time, Mayor Peter Corroon said, but officials = realized it=20 could hurt the environment if a lot of them ended up in landfills.

"With one light bulb it's not an issue," he said, "but when you have=20 thousands of people using them, it could be."

People can drop off the bulbs during the libraries' hours of = operation, said=20 Greg Near, public-relations coordinator for the Salt Lake County Library = System.

"We're happy to do it," he said. "We're happy to help any way we can = so the=20 patrons can recycle."

Residents also can recycle fluorescent bulbs at the Salt Lake Valley = Solid=20 Waste Management Facility, 6030 W. California Ave. (about 1400 South) in = Salt=20 Lake City, and the Trans-Jordan Cities Landfill, 10873 S. 7200 West, in = South=20 Jordan.

To find out where else to dispose of CFLs:

Contact the hazardous waste handling facility = in your=20 area.=20
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency also has a = map to help=20 you find fluorescent light bulb recycling programs in your area.=20
LampRecycle.org , developed by the Lamp Section of = the=20 National Electrical Manufacturers Association, along with lamp = recyclers,=20 provides lamp recycling contacts and other useful information.=20
Permanent Disposal Sites: http://www.slvhealth.org/eh/html/hhw.html=20
Community Events: http://www.slvhealth.org/eh/html/collection.html=20
Get more information on CFLs, mercury and proper = disposal=20

For those of you living outside Salt=20 Lake County, please check with your local health department = for=20 household hazardous waste disposal options. Several other LHDs offer semi or annual = household=20 hazardous waste disposal events.

Many retailers are currently exploring take-back programs and it is = our hope=20 that by the time your CFL=20 needs to be replaced, a retailer program will be in place.

If your local waste management agency offers no other disposal = options except=20 your household garbage, place the CFL in a plastic bag and = seal it=20 before putting it in the trash. If your waste agency incinerates its = garbage,=20 you should search a wider geographic area for proper disposal options. = Never=20 send a CFL or = other=20 mercury-containing product to an incinerator.

ENERGY STAR qualified CFLs have a two-year = warranty. If=20 the bulb fails within the warranty period, return it to your = retailer.

You can minimize any risks by following these proper clean-up and = disposal=20 guidelines:

Sweep up - don=92t vacuum - all of the glass = fragments and=20 fine particles.=20
Place broken pieces in a sealed plastic bag = and wipe the=20 area with a damp paper towel to pick up any stray shards of glass or = fine=20 particles. Put the used towel in the plastic bag as well.=20
If weather permits, open windows to allow the = room to=20 ventilate.

Lastly, we ask you help in disposing of CFLs properly using these = guidelines:

Like paint, batteries, thermostats, and other hazardous household = items,=20 CFLs should be = disposed=20 of properly.=20
Do not throw CFLs=20 away in your household garbage if better disposal options exist.=20
Salt Lake Valley Health Department offers household hazardous = waste=20 disposal for residents at permanent sites and through community = events.=20

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What you should know about = Mercury and=20 CFL's

Community Collection Programs