What we take
Light bulbs
Light bulbs come in all sorts of shapes, sizes, lumens, and types, the most common being LEDs, incandescents, fluorescents, and CFLs.
CFLs contain mercury and so are collected by the state for recycling. But we can take all types to make sure you get rid of stuff the right way.
What we do with it
It has been estimated that nationwide only about 25% of the 680 million lights discarded each year are recycled. The remainder is disposed of in solid waste landfills and incinerators, posing a threat to human health and the environment.
CFLs (the curly ones) have mercury in them, so they especially need to be disposed of responsibly! We make it easy to make sure your CFLs - and the rest of your household bulbs - are properly recycled. Just put them in your light bulb bag and we'll take care of the rest. We collect your spent light bulbs and our partner separates the metal, glass, and plastic for further materials recycling.
If you have light bulbs that are still good but you don't need anymore, try your local Buy Nothing group for reuse in the community!
About our partners
How we keep your Light bulbs out of landfills.
We partner directly with innovators who transform hard-to-recycle materials into new products—so you can see exactly where your items go and what they become.
Featured Partner
Lighting Resources
Lighting Resources processes (de-manufactures) spent lamps of all kinds including HID, fluorescent, CFL, and incandescent lamps to name a few. Their Balcan MP8000 lamp recycling machine can process up to 5000 fluorescent linear lamps in a single hour as well as handle 55 gal drums of crushed glass or mixed, broken, and unbroken bulbs. The Balcan separates the phosphor powder, which contains the toxic mercury, from the glass and aluminum end-caps which allows for the refining of these materials back into the marketplace as recycled products. The MP8000 is unmatched in the industry and represents the finest in lamp recycling.
Featured Partner
Cleanlites Recycling
For over 25 years, Cleanlites has been helping reduce landfill contamination by properly disposing of mercury-containing bulbs and lamps. With 5 recycling centers nationwide, Cleanlites is able to assist customers across the United States and abroad with industry leading waste management and recycling services. Cleanlites recycles all types of lamps, bulbs and lights at their Lansing, MI recycling center and each of their 5 facilities nationwide.
Featured Partner
Ecolights
EcoLights NW began in 1996 in Seattle, WA with a small dedicated team focused on the proper end of life handling of fluorescent and other light bulbs, lighting ballasts, and batteries of all chemistries and types. Their mission is to recycle as much of the resources in these materials as reasonably possible so that it can be reused in the circular economy, and to prevent the toxic components from being released to the environment.
Featured Partner
Clean Earth
Clean Earth is a trusted leader in the environmental and waste industry, managing waste with a focus on safety and compliance while nurturing a culture of sustainability to promote a thriving environment. Your light bulbs are crushed and broken down into their base recycling components such as glass, metal, and plastic. Any hazardous materials, like mercury, are safely removed and properly disposed of.
