Which spaces in your home are energy hogs? Fluorescent bulbs contain a small amount of mercury and should not be placed in the regular trash. Take the tubes to retailers that sell them if they offer in-store recycling. So he has been taking his old bulbs to Lowe's and Home Depot for recycling. The number is a resin identification code, used to help recycling plants sort materials. The products are shipped to recycling … In most communities, there are several options for recycling used bulbs, including tube-style fluorescents and CFLs. Lowe’s recycled over 2,300 tons of plastic from its own operations in 2018. Keep in mind Lowe’s stores offer a recycling center (usually near the entrance) that accepts plastic bags, CFL bulbs, rechargeable batteries, and cellphones. This means CFL and fluorescent bulbs are accepted at most HHW facilities and Home Depot and Lowe’s. Lowe’s recently debuted a three-in-one recycling bin at 1,700 U.S. stores that provides a take-back program for compact fluorescent lamps (CFL), rechargeable batteries/cell phones and plastic bags. Check out your local Lowe’s to take advantage of free recycling services for household items like unused paint, expired batteries, light bulbs, and fluorescent tubes. "They said, 'Sorry, we can't take that anymore.' Fluorescent bulbs or tubes fall into the hazardous waste category since they also contain mercury. Hangers can be returned to a dry cleaner or donated to a thrift store, CFL lightbulbs can be recycled at a Lowe’s recycling center, and Styrofoam should be placed in the trash. Lowe’s also accepts plastic planter pots and cases in the garden center for recycling. Preferred handling option: recycle! Do an online search for stores in your local area that offer in-store recycling for fluorescent tubes. Bulbs from businesses should be recycled using a bulb recycler or hazardous waste company. It’s the latest in a growing list of retailers offering in-store recycling. Ballasts manufactured through 1979 may contain PCBs. Monday-Saturday: 6:30a.m. Furniture Fair Power Pack Feed Our Children. Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were commonly used in the small capacitor within fluorescent light ballasts. No, if you’re placing them with your local recycling. Please don't try to recycle your fluorescent tubes through these retail collection bins, as the bulbs will likely break and contaminate the store. Check the website of your town or city to confirm what they will accept. Recycling is easy. Recycling your spent batteries, bulbs and electronics is easy with Batteries Plus Bulbs. Because it can be hazardous to transport the tubes, you’ll want to make sure the store will actually take them off your hands once you get there. Accepts expired and unbroken compact fluorescent light bulbs as well as tube fluorescent tubes/lamps for recycling to electrical desk during store hours. The biggest market for CFL recycling is retailers (like Home Depot and Lowe's), which accept them for free but only from consumers. 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Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs (CFLs) – These curly tube bulbs are accepted at drop boxes inside Home Depot, Lowes and Ikea stores for free recycling. If you’re recycling plastic bottles the best method is to crush the plastic bottle to remove the air and secure the lid on the bottle. Your disposal options include recycling or bringing the bulbs to a hazardous waste center. Retail Drop-Off programs. K Broken bulbs should be thrown in the trash. Copyright 2021 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. We’re committed to minimizing the impact we have on the environment and our goal is to prevent these items ending up in landfills. Hangers can be returned to a dry cleaner or donated to a thrift store, CFL lightbulbs can be recycled at a Lowe’s recycling center, and Styrofoam should be placed in the trash. If you have a recycling bin with a lid at home, make sure you close the lid. Food debris can contaminate an entire load of recyclables beyond your own. Most tube lighting will have its size mentioned on an end of the tube. This allows the recycler to haul more materials as well as lessens the chance of a bottle cap shooting off during the recycling process. "They have great upfront customer service," he said, "a recycling space where you can place them and walk out.". We did find one chain that will accept them: Batteries Plus Bulbs, if you have one near you. CFLs are more widely purchased by consumers in these retail stores, whereas fluorescent tubes are more often used in offices. For CFLs, in particular, there are several recycling options. All Home Depot stores … Lowe’s recently debuted a three-in-one recycling bin at 1,700 U.S. stores that provides a take-back program for compact fluorescent lamps (CFL), rechargeable batteries/cell phones and plastic bags. Hello marthainalabama, Thanks for your question and welcome to the community! Lowe's has announced that it has installed recyclables collection centers at close to 1,700 of its stores in the continental United States. If there is food or other residue, just give it a quick swish in your sink to remove any debris. The retailers listed in the recycling and disposal sites list accept bulbs for recycling. (Hint: It may be as close and easy as your local Lowe’s.). Like 0 Comment 2; Stay updated; Report; Posted 2013-06-09T15:25:53+0000 by Zouave . America Recycles Day is a great opportunity to answer some of those pesky recycling questions that we all feel like we should know by now, but might be too embarrassed to ask. The T stands for tubular and the numbers are an index for the diameter (in inches) of the tube. Shop grow light fixtures & kits and a variety of lighting & ceiling fans products online at Lowes.com. Lowes Fluorescent Tube Recycling. If paper or cardboard gets wet (or covered in pizza grease), it is no longer a viable product for recycling. You should never place recyclables in a plastic bag. "They have great upfront customer service," he said, "a recycling space where you can … Some retailers will accept fluorescent bulbs in their stores for recycling purposes. Proper recycling may seem overwhelming at first, but remember: knowledge is power! Step 3 Wrap the fluorescent tube in a blanket or towel to protect the tube during transport. Each year, more and more people enjoy the convenience of rechargeable batteries. Have a problem?Send me an email, at jmatarese@wcpo.com or message me on Facebook. If you’re unable to reuse the plastic bag for other purposes that will ultimately end up in the garbage, consider dropping off your plastic bags at a Lowe’s collection center for recycling. Fluorescent bulbs are available as CFLs (compact fluorescent lightbulbs) or longer light tubes, ranging from 2 to 8 feet. Tube lights are generally used in commercial buildings, warehouses and schools. Dave Lake of Colerain Township has been replacing his unattractive fluorescent light bulbs in his home with new LED bulbs. The Home Depot Canada no longer accepts paint and compact fluorescent light bulbs and tubes for recycling in our stores. It’s also easier to ship CFLs for recycling … Fluorescent lamps and bulbs – All fluorescent lamps contain small amounts of mercury and should be recycled. So he has been taking his old bulbs to Lowe's and Home Depot for recycling. Shop fluorescent light bulbs and a variety of lighting & ceiling fans products online at Lowes.com. That’s about the weight of 350 elephants. There may be county collection days when you can leave the tubes curbside for pickup on certain days or days you can drop off the tubes at specified locations for recycling. PCB-containing ballasts become a concern if they are leaking or they will be removed and disposed of as hazardous waste. Does my local Home Depot offer recycling for flourescent tubes? At participating Lowe's store, customers can drop off expired, unbroken CFLs, any rechargeable battery … Check with your local waste hauler by visiting your town, city, or county website and find out exactly what can (or can’t) be recycled. "Neither store would take the small fluorescent tube," he said." Alkaline batteries, those most often found in children’s toys, electronics, and flashlights are unrecyclable; since they are no longer made of hard metals your best option is to simply put them in the trash. This unfortunately isn't for tubes, but if you speak to your nearest store, you can contact a manager for seeing if the store can take them. Incandescent bulbs, LED and halogen bulbs go in the regular trash. You might want to call your local store and ask. All fluorescent lamps and tubes must be recycled, or taken to a household hazardous waste disposal facility, a universal waste handler (e.g., storage facility or broker), or an authorized recycling facility. Does Lowes recycle fluorescent light tubes? Free drop-off collection sites. Open a free business account and reap the benefits! It’s the latest in a growing list of retailers offering in-store recycling. Recycling for Businesses. The biggest market for CFL recycling is retailers (like Home Depot and Lowe's), which accept them for free but only from consumers. Many places will no longer take burned out fluorescents. In 2018, Lowe’s recycled the equivalent of the weight of 60,000 cars just in cardboard. You should always check with your municipality for what is accepted but lightbulbs, Styrofoam, hangers (both metal and plastic), and electronics are usually not accepted. Hours of Operation. Do an online search for stores in your local area that offer in-store recycling for fluorescent tubes. These days, most consumers are switching to newer LED bulbs, which burn cooler and last longer. These contain mercury, a potent neurotoxin, and must be taken to a drop-off collection site. Before bringing to a retailer, ask about fees and hours. The tune is an old one: Switch to compact fluorescent light bulbs because they absorb less energy and have a longer shelf life than their incandescent counterparts. Lowes says that the recycling centers will offer a convenient and free way for customers to recycle rechargeable batteries, cell phones, compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) and plastic shopping bags. Find fluorescent light bulbs at Lowe's today. If that’s the case, it’s better to toss it in the trash. The 4-foot fluorescent light tubes contain about 8 mg of mercury, so you must handle them like other hazardous waste products. CFLs are more widely purchased by consumers in these retail stores, whereas fluorescent tubes are more often used in offices. Find Fluorescent grow light fixtures & kits at Lowe's today. There may be county collection days when you can leave the tubes curbside for pickup on certain days or days you can drop off the tubes at specified locations for recycling. So I said, 'What am I going to do?'". Fluorescent Tube Sizes Guide. Sunday: 8:00a.m. County household hazardous waste drop-off sites collect fluorescent and HID bulbs for recycling. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. We checked with both Lowe's and Home Depot and learned they still accept CFL's -- the little squiggly bulbs -- for recycling. Contact Us. They partnered with Earth911 for Earth Day this year. Here are the features and benefits of fluorescent lighting: Fluorescent tube lights vary in length and will not work without a ballast. The DNR recommends that even "green" fluorescent bulbs be recycled because they often do contain measurable amounts of mercury. Some vendors who sell fluorescent tubes will also offer to take them off of your hands and recycle them for you if you bring them to the store. Correspondingly, does Lowes accept fluorescent tubes for recycling? fluorescent tubes. No. So I put on a pair safety glasses and put on some work gloves. Or you can call 1-800-CLEANUP (Part of Earth 911) to find a recycling center near you. He says he took it to Home Depot, but no luck there either. Nevada Fluorescent Bulb Recycling Regulations Select another state. For more consumer news and money-saving advice, go to www.dontwasteyourmoney.com. The mercury is also hazardous allowing these bulbs to be classified as universal waste. FLUORESCENT BULB RECYCLING . Look for a drop bin in the customer-service area of most stores. recycling electronic ballasts & fluorescent tubes. Keep bulbs and tubes dry. Depends on the type of battery. All rights reserved. These bulbs are most commonly used for industrial lighting and in commercial buildings. "I really wish that for the next five years or so that there would be an easy way to recycle these bulbs," he said. According to EPA Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) regulations, the material must be incinerated. Find your local government recycling contact and learn more about local recycling programs. Lowe's Home Improvement offers recycling of a number of products and hazardous items. The following chains may offer in-store recycling programs: Ace Hardware ; Home Depot ; IKEA ; Lowe's ; Orchard Supply ; Contact your local store to confirm it is participating in the program before bringing your bulbs in. Luckily, since electronic ballasts don't have hazardous materials in them like their old magnetic counterparts, you can dispose of them in any local landfill. I was at Lowes and Home Depot today to dispose one fluorescent tube. Proper recycling may seem overwhelming at first, but remember: knowledge is power! Lowe's and the Gable Mansard Design are registered trademarks of LF, LLC. Recycle Stuff has the solutions to your recycling needs. We believe the collection and disposal of CFLs and paint can be more effectively managed through a third-party recycling program. Do Home Depot Stores accept electronic ballasts & fluorescent tubes for recycling Not what you were looking for ? Currently, most recycling centers only accept fluorescent tubes and CFL bulbs, as these contain mercury, a precious metal making it valuable. Rechargeable batteries (those found in your Kobalt cordless drill, for example) can be recycled at certain retailers, including Lowe’s. But he says Lowe's just told him he could not drop off a short fluorescent tube that he had been using under his cabinets. Just remember you should not break fluorescent bulbs, or throw them in a trash can, as they contain harmful mercury. Simply bring your items in, follow instructions at the recycling center, or garden center, and Lowe’s will take care of the rest. Use RecycleSearch to get the recycling information you need. Just count the number of everyday devices you use that are powered by rechargeable batteries, from cell phones and tablets to cordless tools, cameras and toys. Not all locations will offer this service. (See the list of participating fluorescent bulb recycling retailers below.) Lowe’s is here to help answer some of the more common questions, give you some tips, and provide you with information on where to recycle some of those hard-to-recycle items. Free Shipping On Orders $45+. Lowe's Home Improvement offers recycling of a number of products and hazardous items. Lowe's says that the recycling centers will offer a convenient and free way for customers to recycle rechargeable batteries, cell phones, compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) and plastic shopping bags. CFLs can be recycled for free at Lowe's stores. Help us impact the environment in a positive way. Fluorescent Lights—Bulbs and Tubes Return to recycling menu . – 8:00p.m. Lowe’s and its customers have recycled more than 6 million pounds of rechargeable batteries since 2004. Simply follow the instructions at the Recycling Center (usually found near the front of a Lowe’s store) for proper rechargeable battery recycling. Some local Batteries+Bulbs accepts and recycles all types of bulbs and ballasts. Like 0 Comment 1; Stay updated; Report; Posted 2013-05-22T14:04:30+0000 by marthainalabama . That caught me off guard because I still have several of these around the house, and I don't know what to do with them now.". LightRecycle Washington Recycle mercury-containing lights at no charge by dropping them off at authorized collection sites. They should not be disposed of in your curbside trash. There was a slight explosion in the bag. Fluorescent Tube Lights. Try posting a question. ... Menards 900 Greenbriar Dr, Normal, IL 61761, USA. The Home Depot offers a simple and free drop-off program to help recycle old CFL bulbs at all of its locations. Broken bulb? But most of their stores will no longer accept fluorescent tubes, leaving Lake saying "Now what?". It depends on the bag type! Pizza boxes can be recycled if they don’t have grease residue – but we all know they usually do. "Don't Waste Your Money" is a registered trademark of Scripps Media, Inc. ("Scripps"). Wrap the glass shards in newspaper to prevent injury. Local government recycling programs may offer a permanent of event collection program for fluorescent light recycling. If your locality recycles glass, you should remove the lid from the glass container. Minnesota Power makes fluorescent bulb recycling as easy as a trip to your local hardware store; we'll even help pay the recycling fee. We get it, recycling can appear a bit overwhelming at first and can change from city to city. Be sure to call the store ahead of time before you bring in your old tubes. The PIG Lamp Recycling Program is a cradle-to-grave mail-back kit with everything you need to safely and properly collect, ship and recycle spent bulb waste; prevent releases of mercury into the environment; and stay in compliance with Universal Waste regs (you’ll even get a downloadable Certificate of Destruction to prove it). Many accounts include recycling services, which means that you can bring in your recyclable batteries, bulbs, chargers, phones, tablets, and more right to your local store. – 9:00p.m. Try posting a question. Home Depot and Lowes Hardware stores accept compact fluorescent light bulbs for free. I don't work for Home Depot nor represent them in any way but I suspect recycling may vary from store to store. Step 3 Wrap the fluorescent tube in a blanket or towel to protect the tube during transport. I placed the tube into a strong paper bag, placed an old towel over the bag and used a hammer to break the bagged end. Have any fluorescent bulbs, either the long tubes or squiggly compact ones? Plastic bags can be recycled into other materials (rugs, decking, etc.) Fluorescent tubes (straight, curved, round shape, square, "U" shape, etc.) The thin plastic gets caught in the gears and causes machines to stick and break, but if you put your recyclables in a paper bag, feel free to toss them in! There are 4 different fluorescent light options; T4, T5, T8, and T12. Generally, plastics 1, 2, 5 & 6 can be placed in your recycling bin. Neither store take them any longer. They partnered with Earth911 for Earth Day this year. But what are you supposed to do with those old fluorescent bulbs, which you are not supposed to throw in the trash? Inquire about city and state programs for recycling fluorescent tubes in Arizona. Check with your local waste hauler by visiting your town, city, or county website and find out exactly what can (or can’t) be recycled. So, in most cases, you won’t have to physically measure the tube’s diameter and length. Here's how it works: Take your used bulbs and one coupon per bulb to a participating store. Follow these instructions to safely clean up a broken bulb and limit your exposure to mercury. Do not put fluorescent bulbs or tubes in the trash or recycling. as long as they’re recycled with other plastic bags. Paint and compact fluorescent bulb and tube recycling. Oregon Fluorescent Bulb Recycling Regulations Select another state. The biggest market for CFL recycling is retailers (like Home Depot and Lowe’s ), which accept them for free but only from consumers. Not what you were looking for ? The ballast stabilizes the light, may require more time to heat up and will also flicker or shake if not balanced. 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