# Fluorescent lightbulbs contain mercury. What is the proper disposal method?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fluorescent-lightbulbs-contain-mercury-what-is-the-proper-disposal-method/402244>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [May 1, 2007, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fluorescent-lightbulbs-contain-mercury-what-is-the-proper-disposal-method/402244 "2007-05-01T01:18:05Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Chasing\_Dreams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/258eb7/32.png) [@Chasing\_Dreams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chasing_Dreams)\
**Post date:** [May 1, 2007, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fluorescent-lightbulbs-contain-mercury-what-is-the-proper-disposal-method/402244/1 "2007-05-01T01:18:05Z")

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I just learned that fluorescent lightbulbs contain mercury, [see here](http://science.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=07/04/30/1557242). I thought that since mercury is so dangerous to our health that it wouldn’t be used in something so common and fragile. If you drop and break one, you will likely have to call in a hazardous waste clean up crew, like in the article.

I mean, you hear about all the environmental benefits of fluorescent lightbulbs but rarely is it advertised that you should dispose of them as hazardous waste. I see fluorescent lightbulbs thrown in the trash all the time.

What are we suppose to do with spent ones? It seems hypocritical to allow mercury to leech into the ground in a landfill for the sake of saving energy.

Note: There are around 30 fluorescent lightbulbs in the house I’m in right now.

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**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\
**Post date:** [May 1, 2007, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fluorescent-lightbulbs-contain-mercury-what-is-the-proper-disposal-method/402244/2 "2007-05-01T01:44:51Z")

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Hey, come join us over [here!](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=418881) (Short answer - municipal recycling facilities.)

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**Author:** ![Chasing\_Dreams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/258eb7/32.png) [@Chasing\_Dreams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chasing_Dreams)\
**Post date:** [May 1, 2007, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fluorescent-lightbulbs-contain-mercury-what-is-the-proper-disposal-method/402244/3 "2007-05-01T01:46:14Z")

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Oh, okay. Please close this thread.