In Australia it is estimated that over 20 million mercury-containing light bulbs, lamps and fluorescent tubes end up in landfill each year. There’s a real risk of that mercury leaking out of landfills and entering our environment, and as most of us know, mercury is dangerous stuff. So wouldn’t it be better if it didn’t end up in landfill?
It may seem that each light globe doesn’t contain much mercury, but it really adds up. So if there is an easy way to properly dispose of your old compact fluorescent lamps and tubes, wouldn’t it make sense to use it?
Recycling To The Rescue
The thing is, it’s actually quite simple to ensure that your old light globes, particularly fluorescent lamps, are properly recycled, and the good news is it isn’t just the mercury that gets recovered. The glass, metals and phosphor powder in lamps are also recycled. By recycling these valuable materials we reduce the amount of energy needed to make new products.
How Can I Recycle My Light Globes?
At the household level you may only need to dispose of a few lamps each year. Many local council waste and recycling depots provide free collection points, as do some major lighting retailers and IKEA stores.
To find your nearest collection point go to recyclingnearyou.com.au. Pop in your postcode, select Light Globes in the dropdown menu and you will be presented with a list of recycling options.
Lots Of Tubes Or Lamps?
Businesses can also drop off small numbers of light globes at the free collection points. For companies or organisations that need to dispose of large volumes of lighting waste, on site collection boxes and other options are available.
Small Actions Add Up
When you look at a single compact fluorescent light globe it may seem hardly worth the effort of making sure it is properly disposed of. But imagine those millions of lamps going into landfill. Intact lamps are perfectly safe to handle and store, so isn’t it a better option to place your old light globes in a small box and drop them off at a nearby collection centre once or twice a year?
Try it, and discover how even dead light bulbs can still give you an inner glow.
Ecocycle Is A Full Service Lamp Recycler
Ecocycle can recycle all lighting waste through its facilities in every state around Australia. We have large and small stillages, boxes of various sizes and wheely bins to help collect old globes and lamps, which are ready to be recycled. Give us a call or fill out the form below for the best solution to suit your needs.
