Household Hazardous Waste
This item should never be put in a curbside bin. For more information visit our household hazardous waste page.
CFLs (Compact Fluorescent Lamps) are a type of energy efficient light bulb in which the glass tubing is curved or folded to fit into the shape of a traditional incandescent "light bulb," and include a compact electronic ballast in the base of the item.
This item should never be put in a curbside bin. For more information visit our household hazardous waste page.
Do not throw fluorescent or other mercury-containing lights in the trash or recycling bins. High intensity discharge, metal halide, sodium and neon lights all contain mercury as well. It’s illegal and mercury exposure can harm the brain, heart, and immune and nervous systems. Mercury products contaminate California’s drinking water, fish, soil, and air when they are not managed properly. The mercury limit in drinking water is 2 parts per billion in California, since even low quantities are extremely hazardous.
The following lamps are considered hazardous in California: fluorescent lamps, compact fluorescent lamps, HID lamps, High intensity discharge lamps, metal halide lamps, sodium vapor lamps, grow lamps, Zenon lamps, headlights - auto, mercury vapor lamps, video projector lamps, ultraviolet lamps, UV lamps, water treatment lamps, sun lamps, tanning lamps, mercury containing lamps, LED lamps. The following ballasts are considered hazardous in California: light fixture ballasts, lamp ballasts, electronic ballasts, fluorescent light ballasts, HID light ballasts, PCB containing ballasts, no-PCB ballasts.
Be sure to transport in a way that prevents breakage. If a light breaks, refer to epa.gov/cfl. If a bulb breaks, open a window to disperse mercury vapor, collect the shards with tape, and place in a closed and sealed container—do not vacuum!
How are lights recycled? Lights must be recycled at EPA-approved sites. Glass is recycled or landfilled, recovered metal is recycled, and mercury is stored, disposed, or reused.
Vendor | Address | City | Destination | Disposal Method | Notes | |
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Bill's Ace Hardware | 4451 Clayton Rd. | Concord | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | ||
Home Depot (Newark) | 5401 Thornton Ave. | Newark | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | ||
City Lights | 1585 Folsom St. | San Francisco | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | There is a 5 light limit per trip. | |
Alameda County Business Hazardous Waste Drop-in Program (Hayward Facility) | 2091 West Winton Avenue | Hayward | Safe Disposal | Drop-off for a Fee | Unbroken lamps only & ballasts. Boxes for lamps available for purchase to then fill and drop-off. | |
North State Environmental (South San Francisco) |
220 South Spruce Avenue Suite 200 |
South San Francisco | Safe Disposal | Pick-up for a Fee | ||
Bill's Ace Hardware | 3610 Pacheco Blvd. | Martinez | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | ||
Home Depot (Oakland) | 4000 Alameda Ave. | Oakland | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | ||
Cliff's Variety | 479 Castro St. | San Francisco | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | There is a 5 light limit per trip. | |
Alameda County Business Hazardous Waste Drop-in Program (Livermore Facility) | 5584 La Ribera Street | Livermore | Safe Disposal | Drop-off for a Fee | Unbroken lamps only & ballasts. Boxes for lamps available for purchase to then fill and drop-off. | |
Safety Kleen Systems (Rohnert Park) | 5750 Commerce Blvd | Rohnert Park | Safe Disposal | Pick-up for a Fee | ||
Dale Hardware | 3700 Thornton Ave. | Fremont | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | No large quantities. | |
Handy Handyman Ace Hardware | 2075 Market St. | San Francisco | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | There is a 5 light limit per trip. | |
Revolt Recycling | 657 143rd Ave | San Leandro | Safe Disposal | Drop-off for a Fee | lamps & ballasts. MERCURY CONTAINING DEVICES MUST BE DELIVERED TO REVOLT | |
Home Depot (Pleasanton) | 6000 Johnson Ave. | Pleasanton | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | ||
Cole Hardware | 70 4th St. | San Francisco | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | There is a 5 light limit per trip. | |
Encinal Hardware | 2801 Encinal Ave | Alameda | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | Call first | |
J & J Hardware | 929 Geneva Ave. | San Francisco | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | There is a 5 light limit per trip. | |
Papenhausen Hardware | 32 West Portal Ave. | San Francisco | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | Limit of 5 bulbs per trip | |
Lowe's | 811 E. Arques Ave | Sunnyvale | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | ||
Home Depot (San Leandro) | 1933 Davis St. | San Leandro | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off |
Special Action | Note | ||
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Alameda |
Residents may drop off fluorescent tubes & bulbs at the ACI Alameda office. ### |
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Albany |
To dispose of CFL Bulbs call WM(510) 613-8710 for your free Vaporlok Foil Bag. Place up to 6 used, unbroken CFLs inside the bag, and keep sealed at all times. Place bag on top of the Recyclables Cart. ### |
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Berkeley | |||
Castro Valley Sanitary District |
Bring to CVSan Recycles Day in April or August, or bring boxed to Pete's Ace Hardware at 2569 Castro Valley Blvd, Castro Valley, CA 94546. ### |
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Dublin | |||
Emeryville |
Single family and multifamily accounts can order mail-back collection container at no charge. All Emeryville customers call to order container: 510-613-8710. Not collected curbside. ### |
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Fremont | |||
Hayward | |||
Hayward (Oro Loma - L2) | |||
Livermore | |||
Newark | |||
Oakland | |||
Piedmont |
Place unbroken CFL's in Ziploc bag on top of the recycling cart. ### |
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Pleasanton | |||
San Leandro | |||
San Leandro (Oro Loma - L3) | |||
San Lorenzo (Oro Loma) | |||
Unincorporated Oro Loma (L1) | |||
Union City |
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