Bob McCarty Writes

Have you replaced your traditional incandescent light bulbs with bulbs of the compact fluorescent variety? If so, you may be in for a big surprise when it comes time to dispose of one or clean up the mess after a CFL bulb breaks.

Because CFL bulbs contain mercury, you can’t dispose of them in the same manner as traditional incandescents. If you do, you’ll be contaminating your local landfill with a known carcinogen that can, over time, leach into your local water supply. In addition, you could face serious fines from green-happy government overseers.

Likewise, if a CFL bulb breaks in your home, you could face serious mercury-related cleanup costs — as high as $2,000 — like those described in an Ellsworth (Maine) American newspaper article April 12.

Thankfully, if you live in California, you’ll have the opportunity Saturday to dump your used CFL and fluorescent bulbs at Wal-Mart when the world’s largest retailer hosts a fluorescent light bulb recycling day. According to a news release at PRNewswire this morning, recycling events at Wal-Mart stores, Supercenters and Sam’s Clubs across California will offer consumers a free and convenient opportunity to drop-off and recycle their used CFL bulbs and fluorescent tubes.

While Wal-Mart’s efforts appear to focus on residential light bulb consumers, the company’s partner in the recycling events, Waste Management, is offering business owners a way to recycle their CFL bulbs.

If the description of WM’s LampTracker program doesn’t make business owners think twice before taking their companies down the CFL path, the costs of shipping containers associated with the program no doubt will.

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