Current Connections – April 2012
Do you have a question about EWEB? Email us and ask away. We want to hear from you.
How do I dispose of old, spent CFLs?
Due to a small amount of mercury in fluorescent lamps and linear tubes, they should be recycled rather
than thrown in the trash. Lane County Waste Management, EWEB and local electric utilities
have teamed up with local retailers to create a convenient residential recycling program for spent
fluorescent lights.
Learn more and see a
list of recycling locations
The tiny amount of mercury in fluorescent lamps is safe for home use and poses no health risk while these
lamps are in use. However, we are working to prevent large accumulations of mercury from entering
landfills, being released from lamps and polluting the environment.
If a lamp breaks, carefully clean up the glass fragments and phosphor powder using a piece of stiff
paper so your fingers are not in contact with the broken pieces. Place the broken pieces in a
plastic bag and use a damp paper towel or sticky tape to pick up any stray shards of glass
or fine particles. Then place everything in the bag with the remains of the lamp.
Deliver the bag with the broken lamp to the Lane County Transfer Station in Glenwood, which is
located at 3100 17th Ave.