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Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs (CFLs)

CFL Recycling Information

Compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) and mercury.

A small amount of mercury is contained in each CFL—less than 5 milligrams. The amount of mercury in a CFL is 1/5 the amount in a watch battery. Mercury is commonly found in thermometers, light switches, thermostats, and batteries. Older household thermometers contain about 500 mg of mercury. It would take over 100 CFLs to equal that amount.

  • How do I dispose of CFLs  ?

    CFLs do need to be disposed of properly, and there are many retailers and municipal solid waste collection sites across the state where you can recycle your CFLs for free. Please visit our disposal locator or the www.mercvt.org website to find a disposal site near you. Vermont law states that all mercury labeled products must be disposed of with hazardous waste rather than included in your regular trash. 

  • Why Use CFLs?

    • They can be used almost anywhere in your home.
    • They use approximately 66-75% less energy than a traditional incandescent bulb.
    • They last up to10 times longer than a traditional incandescent bulb.

  • How to best use CFLs:

    • For maximum savings, CFLs should be installed in high-use areas. For maximum life, CFLs work best in locations where the light is left on for at least 15 minutes at a time.
    • In dimmable fixtures you must use CFLs labeled "for use with dimmers."
    • In the cold or outdoors, use CFLs that are rated for low temperatures.
    • If a bulb accidentally breaks, please follow the clean-up procedure below for your own safety.

  • What precautions should I take when using CFLs in my home?

    Always screw and unscrew the CFL by its base (not the glass) and never forcefully twist the CFL into a light socket. CFLs are made of glass and can break if dropped or roughly handled.

  • Is it harmful to be in the room where a CFL has broken?

    It is best to avoid exposure to mercury. If a CFL breaks, follow the instructions below. If you have any health related questions about bulb breakage in your home, call the Vermont Department of Health at (802) 240-5076 (24 hour pager-return call within 15 minutes).

  • Should I use incandescent bulbs that don't contain mercury instead of CFLs in order to be safe?

    The risk of exposure to mercury from the occasional broken CFL bulb is very small. Using CFLs reduces the amount of mercury in the air by reducing the amount of electricity that power companies need to produce.

  • What to Do if Your Bulb Breaks:

    • By following the directions below, you can safely clean up a broken CFL. It is not necessary to hire a professional to clean up the bulb.
    • Keep people and pets away from the breakage area so that mercury is not tracked into other areas of your home.
    • Assemble the following supplies before cleaning up:

      Disposable gloves, tweezers, masking or duct tape, cardboard, and a puncture-resistant container or sealable plastic bag.

    DO NOT VACUUM OR SWEEP  to clean up a broken lamp, this may spread any mercury vapor that is present to other rooms. Keep all people and pets away from the breakage area.

    For Breakage on a Hard Surface:

    1. Ventilate the room by closing all interior doors and vents, opening windows and any exterior doors in the room, and leaving the room (restrict access) for at least 15 minutes.
    2. Remove all materials you can, and don't use a vacuum cleaner.
      1. Wear disposable gloves, if available.
      2. Carefully scoop up the glass fragments and powder with a stiff paper or cardboard (such as playing cards or index cards).
      3. Pick up any remaining small pieces of glass and powder using sticky tape (such as masking or duct tape).
      4. Wipe the area clean with a damp paper towel or disposable wet wipe.
    1. Place all clean-up materials (cardboard, gloves, tape, etc.) into a glass or rigid container with a lid. If a glass or rigid container is not available, place all cleanup materials in a plastic bag (and double bag) and seal it. Store the container or bag outside of the house in an area inaccessible to children.
    2. Wash your hands.
    3. Contact your local solid waste district, alliance, or municipality for proper disposal; or call 1-800-974-9559 (dial 1) or (802) 241-3888 (for a list of districts see mercvt.org "proper disposal").
    4. Leave windows in the affected room open as long as practical (weather-permitting).

    For Breakage on a Carpet:

    1. Complete steps 1 through 6 above.
    2. If rug is removable, take it outside, shake, and air out as long as practical.
    3. (After clean-up and the room has been ventilated.) The first time you vacuum the area where the CFL was broken, shut the door to the room or close off the area from as much of the rest of the house as possible and ventilate the room when vacuuming. Remove the vacuum bag once done cleaning the area, wipe vacuum with wet wipe and put the bag and/or vacuum debris, including cleaning materials, into a plastic bag and double bag and store the bag outside the house in an area inaccessible to children. Contact your local solid waste district, alliance, or municipality as instructed in step #5 above.
    4. After vacuuming, keep window open, door closed and children / pets out of room.
    5. Consider removal of carpeting section where the breakage has occurred as a precaution when there are infants, small children, and pregnant women present. For questions, call the Vermont Department of Health at 800-439-8550 (toll-free in VT) or (802) 863-7220 (dial zero). During non-work hours, call the Northern New England Poison Center at 800-222-1222.

    Clean-up Steps for Clothing, Bedding, and Other Soft Materials:

    • If clothing or bedding materials come in direct contact with broken glass or mercury-containing powder from inside the bulb that may stick to the fabric, the clothing or bedding should be thrown away. Do not wash such clothing or bedding because mercury fragments in the clothing may contaminate the machine and / or pollute sewage.
    • You can, however, wash clothing or other materials that have been exposed to the mercury vapor from a broken CFL, such as the clothing you are wearing when you cleaned up the broken CFL, as long as that clothing has not come into direct contact with the materials from the broken bulb.
    • If shoes come into direct contact with broken glass or mercury-containing powder from the bulb, wipe them off with damp paper towels or disposable wet wipes. Place the towels or wipes in a glass jar or plastic bag for disposal.

  • What do I do when I am ready to dispose?

    If you need to dispose of your bulbs, visit our disposal locator to find participating retailers where you can recycle bulbs for free. To dispose of other household items containing mercury, visit www.mercvt.org or refer to your local Solid Waste District. Vermont law states that all mercury-labeled products must be disposed of with hazardous waste rather than included in your regular trash.

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