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