Tips on Recycling Light Bulbs

Light bulbs come in many forms and are referred to in the industry as "lamps." Bring the following lamps to the Barnstable Transfer Station for recycling:

Lamp Types
 

Tube-style Fluorescent Lamps

Commonly used as overhead lighting in office buildings, these lamps also come in compact shapes for a variety of other uses for both the home and office.
 

Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs)

CFLs are smaller versions of the standard tube-style fluorescent lamps and can be used in place of standard incandescent lamps. CFLs are more energy efficient and last longer than incandescent lamps. These lamps contain levels of mercury that require proper disposal and special clean up when broken.
 

Mercury Vapor Lamps

These are the original high-intensity discharge (HID) lamps with blue/white light. They were originally designed for farmyard lighting.
 

Ultraviolet Lamps

Typically used in water and air purifiers for germicidal purposes, these lamps are also used in some tanning beds.

Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs) should not be thrown in the trash since they contain traces of mercury. These bulbs can break and the vapors can harm not only workers, but also the environment through seeping into groundwater. See the Town of Barnstable main web page for disposal instructions.
 

When you are ready to recycle your used CFLs:
 

• Be sure to carefully package them to ensure that they do not break in transport. This could release dangerous toxins such as mercury.
• An easy way to prepare used lamps for recycling is to box them up in the packaging from your new lamps.
• Spent lamps are accepted at the Barnstable Transfer Station 7 days a week. There is no fee.