Lamp (Bulb) Recycling Program

Vermonters buy over a million energy-efficient fluorescent bulbs every year. Fluorescent bulbs (including compact fluorescent lamps-CFLs) contain mercury. When they are thrown in the trash, mercury is released into the environment and ends up in the fish we eat. Mercury containing bulbs, by Vermont law, cannot be placed in the regular trash but instead must be recycled.

What kinds of bulbs contain mercury?

• 8' or 4' linear fluorescent bulbs
• Compact fluorescent bulbs (CFL)
• Linear fluorescent bulbs such as - tanning bulbs, grow bulbs, black lights and smaller (12", 18", 24" etc.) bulbs
• U-tubes
• Circular fluorescent bulbs
• HID car headlights (appear blue when lit)
• High Intensity Discharge (HID) bulbs (such as: mercury vapor, metal halide, etc.)

Vermont's Lamp Law provides a manufacturer-funded collection and recycling program for mercury-containing bulbs. Vermont residents, small businesses and institutions (such as schools) can recycle mercury-containing bulbs (including all fluorescent) at a number of municipal and retail locations across the state (see list of locations below). Any number of CFLs can be accepted and there is a limit of ten or fewer of other bulbs (such as linear tubes) per visit.

List of Retail and Municipal Bulb Recycling Locations

The lamp law also requires that all manufacturers who sell mercury-containing bulbs in Vermont participate in Vermont's lamp recycling program. The following is a list of lamp manufacturers currently authorized to sell mercury containing bulbs in Vermont:

Current Participating Manufacturers

Note: Broken bulbs are not accepted. If you have questions, please contact us at 800-974-9559.