Found yourself wondering how to dispose of light bulbs? Don’t worry, we’ve got everything you need to know in this guide.
Light bulbs are an integral part of any modern building, but they, unfortunately, do not live forever. So, what happens when they begin showing signs that their end is near and you need to replace them?
You need to prepare them for disposal, of course.
However, the disposal process can vary between different types of light bulbs, and this can get complex. As a result, we’ve created this blog to inform you of how to dispose of light bulbs properly.
So, without further ado, let’s dive right into the nitty gritty of how to dispose of light bulbs.
How to Safely Dispose of Your Light Bulbs
After replacing a light bulb or cleaning up a broken one, many people are stuck on what to do with it next. Questions such as, ‘Does this go into recycling or is it just rubbish?’ will more than likely pop up in people’s minds.
In particular, it is common to think that there must be a different process to disposing of light bulbs compared to normal household waste, which is why we have curated the following guide on how to safely dispose of light bulbs - depending on the type of bulb you’ve got.
Standard Incandescent Light Bulbs
You will probably find incandescent light bulbs as the standard in many premises as they have primarily been the most conventional type of light bulb used for centuries - literally.
On the other hand, with lighting technology more advanced than ever, it is possible that incandescent light bulbs will become obsolete in favour of their more energy-efficient counterparts - LEDs.
How do you dispose of them?
As incandescent bulbs are generally not accepted at the recycling centre and don’t contain hazardous materials, you can simply dump the old, used incandescent bulb in household rubbish.
It might be worth keeping the packaging box it came with and putting it inside when you drop it in the bin so that it doesn’t break and tear the bin bag.
LED Light Bulbs
The LED market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11% from 2023 to 2030, indicating that the increasing popularity and prevalence of LED lighting won’t be dwindling any time soon.
Although LED lights often have a longer lifespan than other types of lighting, if they break or show signs of deterioration, they will need to be replaced.
So, how do you dispose of LED light bulbs?
LED light bulbs encompass GLS A60, C35 and GU10 bulbs. They all tend to be recyclable because they do not contain any CFLs.
Here’s how for other types:
LED Floodlights
Let’s first take a look at LED floodlights. Floodlights are excellent at, as the name suggests, flooding an area with light. You will typically see LED floodlights in outdoor spaces of homes and commercial buildings.
LED floodlights contain an LED light source, so don’t forget to treat them appropriately.
LED Strips
LED strips are a versatile lighting option that can be applied both for interior and exterior use. When it comes to how to dispose of them, LED strips can also be recycled alongside other LED products.
So, regardless of whether you have LED lamps, floodlights, or strips (all of which contain zero harmful substances), these can all be recycled at your local recycling drop point!
Want to save money on energy bills? Purchase LED light bulbs from Vision Lighting online.
Halogen Light Bulbs
Similar to the incandescent light bulb, halogen light bulbs are becoming less and less used, not only due to their high energy consumption, but also because a halogen light bulb ban has been effective in the UK since September 2021. This means you won’t be seeing halogen bulbs in stores anymore.
The halogen light bulb ban was to help prevent the 1.26 million tonnes of carbon that was being emitted every year due to high energy consuming bulbs.
However, if you still own halogen bulbs and need to dispose of them, how can you do this?
Like with incandescent bulbs, halogen bulbs can be treated as normal rubbish. They are not accepted at recycling centres. As with all bulbs, it’s also a good idea to wrap them before disposal in case they shatter.
Fluorescent Tubes and Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs)
Fluorescent light bulbs, including fluorescent tubes and fluorescent lamps, are products that usually contain certain amounts of mercury, meaning that you can’t - and shouldn’t - dispose of them in regular rubbish.
The hazardous substances in fluorescent lighting, no matter how small, can pollute the environment and negatively affect others. Therefore, fluorescent bulbs must be recycled at designated recycling plants.
If you’re looking for a safe and cost-effective alternative to fluorescent tubes, try out our LED T8 tubes.
What to Do If a CFL Breaks
If your CFL - or any mercury-containing lamp, for that matter - breaks, you might feel the urge to quickly vacuum it up, but this is not advised. Mercury is hazardous, so it’s best that Henry Hoover sits this one out.
Instead, follow these steps:
1. Wear gloves and grab duct/sticky tape, a disposable bag/glass jar with lid, a piece of cardboard or stiff paper, and a flashlight
2. Prevent access to the site, especially from pets, children, and pregnant women
3. If broken on a flat and smooth surface (e.g. hardwood flooring), with the cardboard, push the pieces of glass and other materials into small piles, lifting them up carefully and dropping them into the bag or jar
4. For carpets/rugs, consider discarding the rug or removing the area of carpet that the CFL dropped on
5. Use sticky tape to pat any remaining debris, picking up as much powder and glass fragments as possible
6. Dispose of gloves in the bag or jar and seal tightly, placing this in an outdoor rubbish container until you can dispose of materials accordingly
Using LED lights instead of CFLs or a fluorescent tube is not only more energy efficient, but you also don’t have to worry about the above.
Looking to replace your commercial fluorescent lighting with LED bulbs? Shop Vision Lighting today.
Factors to Consider When Disposing Your Light Bulbs
It’s crucial that you take into consideration several factors when throwing out old light bulbs. Such factors include:
1. Recyclability of light bulb
2. Type of light bulb
3. Your local area’s recycling guidelines
4. The nearest recycling point for electrical items
5. Whether you even need to replace the bulb
Don’t Forget These Safety and Cost-Saving Tips:
When disposing of light bulbs, we recommend that you:
1. Always wear gloves when handling and disposing of light bulbs, regardless if they’re fluorescent or not
2. Ensure that they’re covered in a paper towel or inside their original packaging to avoid them accidentally breaking inside the bin - this ensures the safety of both you and those handling waste!
3. Consider replacing bulbs with
LED alternatives to improve the longevity of your lights, saving money in the long run
Why Recycle Light Bulbs?
Light bulbs that are able to be recycled should ideally be recycled! Although, as mentioned, some types of bulbs aren’t suitable for recycling, the ones that are - particularly, LED and fluorescent bulbs - should always be recycled.
This is largely due to the fact that recycling:
Minimises the amount of additional waste on landfills
Landfills are already overflowing with waste, most of which could probably be recycled!
Prevents hazardous waste from polluting the environment
Substances such as mercury, lead, and cadmium can potentially be released into the soil and water ways if you don’t recycle light bulbs, which can have a detrimental impact on the environment.
Preserves and reuses valuable materials
Parts of a light bulb like the glass and metal are renewable, meaning that they can be repurposed, resulting in less demand for the mining of new materials.
With the number of household gas discharge lamps and LED light sources recycled in the UK staying steady at around
4,000 metric tons year to year (except in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic), it’s clear that we need to proactively recycle more in order to increase these numbers.
Where You Can Recycle Your Lights
The majority of energy-saving light bulbs are classed as electronic and electrical equipment, meaning that they need to be disposed of in waste electricals. This is otherwise known as waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE).
For households, this means that you shouldn’t place them in your regular household recycling bin.
You must instead take them to your nearest recycling point - this can be a recycling centre, or you may find that some of your local stores (specifically, Currys, B&Q, Tesco, Argos…) also offer recycling services. Make sure that you check beforehand.
For Businesses
For commercial businesses and electricians who might not have the time to drive down to a recycling centre, you can arrange a commercial WEEE collection to have a collection service pick up and recycle your light bulb waste for you.
Interested in lighting solutions? Browse Vision Lighting’s online catalogue for our range of products to help you illuminate your space.
The Go-To Choice for Your Replacement Bulbs
Vision Lighting is a leading manufacturer and supplier of LED lighting products, based in Leeds, West Yorkshire. With almost two decades of experience and expertise, you can rely on us to provide cutting-edge commercial LED lighting solutions in the UK.
In fact, our LED strip technology consumes approximately 20% less power than our competitors on the market! We are dedicated to quality control, carrying out all of our manufacturing processes in-house to ensure a quick turnaround and that products are made to an excellent standard.
So, when the time comes to replace your light bulbs, our LED bulbs are the best in the business. Get in touch with us should you have any further questions about our products and services.
How to Dispose of Light Bulbs: Your Questions Answered
We hope that you now have a better understanding of how to dispose of light bulbs. In case you need a refresher, here are several answers to FAQs on this topic:
Only certain types of light bulbs can be put in the bin as general waste - these are typically traditional halogen and incandescent bulbs. These bulbs generally don’t contain toxic or hazardous materials, making them safe to dispose of in general waste. Make sure to wrap them in paper or inside their original packaging to prevent them from being a safety risk if broken.
LED and fluorescent bulbs, including CFLs, should be recycled as they are classed as WEEE. Fluorescent bulbs in particular contain tiny amounts of mercury, which can be toxic, making them unsuitable for disposal in normal waste. Meanwhile, LEDs mainly consist of materials and components that are recyclable. As a result, it’s important to ensure that you’re recycling these types of light bulbs properly. And Which Can't? Halogen and incandescent bulbs cannot be recycled. The majority of their design is non-recyclable - though some of their smaller components may technically be recyclable, the extraction process would be more costly and more damaging to the environment than simply throwing them into general rubbish.
Light bulbs cannot go in glass recycling - they’re categorised as WEEE, containing fine wires that are difficult to separate and extract. They must be recycled into electrical waste.