Recycling Energy-Saving Light Bulbs: A Comprehensive Guide

A council in London have teamed up with a leading light bulb recycling service in order to install specialist energy-saving light bulb recycling points at nineteen locations around the Lambeth area. After a government grant was received, the containers were fitted so that residents of the area have a safe place to dispose of their energy-saving lighting solutions and batteries, which contain very small amounts of mercury and can be damaging to the environment if not processed in the right way.

The mercury contained in most energy-saving light bulbs is well within the safety limits of 5mg; most only contain around 2.5mg of the substance (enough to cover the tip of a ballpoint pen). The mercury is used to generate light efficiently and cannot escape from a light bulb when it is in use, but the disposal of the light bulbs in the wrong way can cause a crack and allow mercury leakage. These bulbs should never be thrown into normal rubbish or household recycling bins for precisely this reason. There are now energy-saving bulb recycling points across the whole of the UK exactly like those fitted in Lambeth, which provide a safe and secure way to dispose of energy-saving light bulbs without potentially damaging the environment or harming someone.

In some cases, bulbs accidentally break when they are being fitted or replaced. Accidental breakage is unlikely to cause harm, but it is considered good practice to reduce the exposure to both the mercury and the possibility of injury from broken glass. In the unlikely event of breakage of an energy-saving light bulb in the home or in the workplace, ensure that windows are open for fifteen minutes and leave the room to air. Never use a vacuum cleaner to clear up broken glass or bulb parts, and always use rubber gloves when handling the debris in order to protect the hands. If the bulb breaks on a surface, clean the surface with a damp cloth and place all broken parts (and the cloth) into a sealed plastic bag. This should then be disposed of in the same way as a working light bulb: by taking it to a local waste and recycling centre, with specialist recycling facilities for such items.

Luckily, the considerable life span of these light bulbs means that they only have to be changed once every dozen or so years, minimising the number of times these recycling facilities will be used. Energy-saving light bulbs are designed to consume less energy and last for longer, so trips to designated recycling spots will be few and far between for many members of the public.

ACE Recommends Government Plan For Electrical Efficiency

The Association for the Conservation of Energy (ACE) has encouraged the government to take more of a stand on the subject of energy-saving. The organisation represents some of Britain's leading industrial names, including E.ON, Honeywell and Carillion, and have taken the step of writing to the Energy and Climate Change Secretary, Ed Davey, in order to express their concerns that the UK's electricity bills are not being tackled in the way that they should. The letter urges the government to 'aim higher' and use their upcoming enery bill in order to initiate huge change in the UK's overall energy efficiency levels.

The bill as it currently stands allots £1bn to energy companies to distribute in whatever way they believe might decrease energy consumption or increase efficiency. This could be something as large as building an energy-efficient power plant, or something as basic as fitting all workplaces and headquarters with energy-saving lighting solutions. However, research provided by ACE, Green Alliance and WWF has shown that this kind of investment is a mere drop in the ocean; a similar amount allocated in the US only saw 3% of the total funds being distributed in an effective way. Wth this amount, the organisations were only likely to reduce energy demand by 10% each year. It is believed this figure should be much higher, with the government aiming to put 'green' issues at the very top of their agenda.

Investment in the energy infrastructure is not the only way in which people, from households to headquarters, can contribute to the energy-efficiency levels within the UK. Business owners can take steps to reduce the carbon footprint of their own organisation by kitting out their workplace with energy-saving light bulbs, and those within the home can choose similar options, with environmentally-friendly LED light bulbs also touted as great ways to cut down on emissions for everyone in the country.

Replacing one energy-guzzling halogen light bulb with a standard 4.5-watt LED light bulb can have potential electricity savings of up to £145.80 over the course of the bulb's considerably lengthy life span. This makes bulb replacement one of the most attractive and easy ways in which everyone can contribute to reducing carbon footprints and electrical demand. The bulbs use far less electricity than older models, and not only do they offer savings for electricity bills on a domestic scale, they will also be helping the country out on a national scale, whether the government follow ACE's recommendations or not.