Where to Recycle Fluorescent Tubes and CFL Bulbs

Updated 2026-09-25. General guidance only: local rules vary, so check with your county or the facility.

Fluorescent tubes and compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) use less energy than old incandescent bulbs, but they contain a small amount of mercury. One bulb is a tiny amount. Millions of them crushed in garbage trucks and landfills add up, which is why many places ask you to recycle them. Some states and cities require it.

Which bulbs need special handling

Fluorescent tubes (the long straight or U-shaped tubes in shops, garages and offices).
CFLs (the spiral or folded-tube bulbs).
Other mercury lamps such as high-intensity discharge bulbs used in some outdoor and grow lights.

LED bulbs don't contain mercury. They have electronics inside and are accepted by some electronics or bulb recycling programs, but in many places they can go in the trash. Incandescent and most halogen bulbs generally go in the trash, wrapped so the glass can't cut anyone. Check local rules for both.

Store bulbs so they don't break

Keep used bulbs in the box the new ones came in, or wrap them in newspaper or bubble wrap.
For long tubes, tape a few together in a bundle or keep the cardboard sleeve they shipped in.
Store them where they won't get knocked over, then take them in with the next batch.

Don't tape tubes to anything metal and don't put them in a recycling cart. They'll break long before they reach anyone who can recycle them.

If a bulb breaks

A broken CFL or tube releases a little mercury vapor, so take a few simple precautions, similar to what federal environmental guidance recommends:

Get people and pets out of the room and open a window or door to the outside for several minutes.
Turn off central heating or air conditioning so it doesn't spread the vapor.
Don't vacuum at first. Scoop up glass and powder with stiff paper or cardboard, then pick up small pieces and dust with sticky tape.
Put everything in a sealable container such as a glass jar with a lid or a heavy sealed plastic bag.
Take the debris outside right away and store it until you can drop it off. Ask your HHW program or bulb recycler whether they accept broken bulbs. Some areas allow the sealed debris in the trash.
Keep airing out the room for several hours if you can.

Where fluorescent bulbs usually go

Household hazardous waste programs. Nearly all HHW facilities and collection events accept fluorescent bulbs from residents.

Home improvement and hardware stores. Some locations take CFLs, and fewer take long tubes. Policies differ from store to store, so call first.

Transfer stations and recycling centers. Some local governments collect bulbs at a staffed area.

Mail-back kits. Prepaid recycling boxes are sold for tubes and CFLs, which can make sense for a building with a lot of fixtures.

Businesses usually can't use residential programs and need a lamp recycler or hauler.

On Dumpmapper, drop-offs that list fluorescent bulbs appear under the Hazardous waste chip.

Why the rules differ

Mercury lamps are regulated as "universal waste" for businesses under federal rules, while households are often exempt at the federal level. States can be stricter, and some ban mercury lamps from the trash for everyone. That's why the same bulb might be allowed in one town's trash and banned in the next. When in doubt, recycle it.

Show hazardous waste and bulb drop-offs on the map or read the household hazardous waste guide.

Find a place near you

Open the map with hazardous waste switched on, or only show listings that mention fluorescent / cfl bulbs (fewer results, because most listings don't list materials). You can also estimate weight and cost with the dump cost calculator.