FLUORESCENT BULBS AND BATTERIES will now be accepted from residents at the Community Recycling Center during regular business hours.
Mon: 10 am - 2 pm Wed: 12 pm - 8 pm Fri: 10 am - 2 pm
In late 2006, a program to recycle fluorescent lamps and batteries was put into place at the electronics recycling center.
http://192.138.189.208/index.php/lamp-battery-recycling#sigProId68136ed7a1
This program is free for residents and businesses are charged per type of lamp. We also have boxes available to package spent 4-foot and 8-foot lamps.
The program has been successful, but there are most likely a lot of these items that still wind up in the trash can.
While the majority of fluorescent lamps still come from local industry, with the push for energy efficiency and the eventual phase-out of incandescent light bulbs, we are seeing an increasing number of compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) at our monthly collection. A lot of folks refer to them as “squiggly” bulbs because of their shape.
CFLs are much more efficient than a regular incandescent, but there is one downside. They contain mercury and must be managed as a hazardous waste. We were one of the very first counties in Pennsylvania to initiate an ongoing collection for all fluorescent lamps, mainly because we felt these items should not be placed in a landfill.
Residents are encouraged to recycle CFLs because of the mercury they contain. Our office has a brochure as well as a detailed information sheet on how to clean up a broken CFL. It can also be accessed through the Environmental Protection Agency website at: http://www.epa.gov/cfl/cflcleanup-detailed.html
We do not accept Incandescent or LED bulbs as they do not contain any hazardous materials and can safely be disposed of in your regular garbage
The local Sylvania plant manufactures a halogen bulb that is not as energy efficient as a CFL, but much more efficient than an incandescent and it contains no mercury. It’s called the Super Saver. For detailed information, you can read about it on the Sylvania website: [CLICK HERE]
Lamps accepted through the program:
- All fluorescent lamps, straight lengths, circular and U-tubes, compacts
- HID/Sodium Vapor/Metal Halide: HID lamps contain mercury, cadmium and antimony, Sodium Vapor lamps contain mercury, cadmium and chromium, and Mercury Vapor lamps contain mercury, cadmium, and antimony
- Mercury vapor bulbs are the original high-intensity discharge (HID) lamps with blue-white light, originally used as farmyard lights.
- Metal halide bulbs are newer, more efficient HID lights found in homes and businesses.
- High-pressure sodium-vapor bulbs are white-yellow HID lights used for street lamps and outdoor security lighting.
- Low-pressure sodium vapor bulbs are orange HID lights used primarily in commercial settings.
Battery Recycling
We accept all types of household batteries for recycling. This includes batteries from toys, radios, cell phones, telephones, rechargeable tools and appliances, flashlights, you name it.
All that we ask is that if the battery is from an appliance or tool that you bring just the battery and not the entire item.
We will now accept large motorcycle, tractor, or car batteries.
Batteries accepted through the program:
- Alkaline
- Nickel Cadmium (NiCd)
- Mercury
- Zinc Air
- Lithium
- Lithium Ion
- Button cells: silver, mercury, zinc air
- Lead-acid (AAA-D)
- Lead-acid (wet – small sealed - we will now also accept car, tractor or motorcycle batteries)
- Carbon Air
- Carbon Air with Mercury