Household Hazardous Waste
This item should never be put in a curbside bin. For more information visit our household hazardous waste page.
A fluorescent tube is an energy efficient type of light source that contains mercury, includes tubes of all lengths.
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 toxic mercury-containing lights in the trash or recycling bins. High intensity discharge, metal halide, sodium and neon lights all contain toxic mercury as well. It is illegal to throw mercury lights in the trash.
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! See EPA guidance for cleanup (epa.gov/cfl).
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.
When improperly managed, mercury products contaminate California’s drinking water, fish populations, soil, and air. The mercury limit in drinking water is 2 parts per billion in California, since even low quantities are extremely hazardous. Mercury exposure can harm the brain, heart, and immune and nervous systems of your employees, contractors, and tenants. Mercury exposure is especially dangerous to children, pregnant women, and the elderly.
Vendor | Address | City | Destination | Disposal Method | Notes | |
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Standard Plumbing | 144 Clement St. | San Francisco | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | There is a 5 light limit per trip. | |
Recology San Francisco Transfer Station Public Recycling and Disposal Drop Off | 501 Tunnel Ave. | San Francisco | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | Fluorescent Tubes/CFLs First 30 per month are free. After first 30 free units per month, $4.00/unit. | |
Charity Cultural Services Center | 731 Commercial St. | San Francisco | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | There is a 5 light limit per trip. | |
Photo Waste Recycling Co. |
2980 Kerner Boulevard Northern CA Headquarters |
San Rafael | Safe Disposal | Pick-up for a Fee | ||
Safety Kleen (San Jose) | 1147 N 10th Street | San Jose | Safe Disposal | Pick-up for a Fee | ||
Standard Plumbing | 6122 Geary Blvd. | San Francisco | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | There is a 5 light limit per trip. | |
City Lights | 1585 Folsom St. | San Francisco | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | There is a 5 light limit per trip. | |
BulbCycle |
7700 Regents Road #113 Suite 547 |
San Diego | Safe Disposal | Mail-in for a Fee | ||
Quick Light Recycling | 170 South Spruce Ave | South San Francisco | Safe Disposal | Pick-up for a Fee | ||
Hassett Ace Hardware | 875 Alma Street | Palo Alto | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | ||
Universal Electric Supply Co. | 438 8th St. | San Francisco | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | There is a 5 light limit per trip. | |
Cliff's Variety | 479 Castro St. | San Francisco | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | There is a 5 light limit per trip. | |
EZ on the Earth |
1919 Williams Street Suite 350 |
Simi Valley | Safe Disposal | Mail-in for a Fee | ||
City of Palo Alto Household Hazardous Waste Station Program | 2501 Embarcadero Way | Palo Alto | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | Only 15 gallons or 125 pounds of hazardous waste per visit. Must be a Palo Alto resident, proof of residency is required. | |
Clean Earth (AERC) (Hayward) | 30677 Huntwood Ave | Hayward | Safe Disposal | Drop-off for a Fee, Pick-up for a Fee | Mail-in & drop off. Mercury Containing Lamps including: arc, deuterium, germicidal, high pressure sodium, mercury vapor, metal halide, neon, ultraviolet, and florescent to include circular, compact, crushed, coated, straight and u-tubes | |
Cole Hardware | 70 4th St. | San Francisco | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | There is a 5 light limit per trip. | |
Cole Hardware (Rockridge) | 5533 College Ave | Oakland | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | 5 bulb limit per day (any combination of light bulb types). | |
Alameda County Business Hazardous Waste Drop-in Program (Oakland Facility) | 2100 East 7th Street | Oakland | Safe Disposal | Drop-off for a Fee | Unbroken lamps only & ballasts. Boxes for lamps available for purchase to then fill and drop-off. 4' box & liner holds about 220 x T-12. 8' box & liner holds about 100 x T-12. | |
Shoreway Environmental Center (SEC) | 333 Shoreway Road | San Carlos | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | 6 per visit, less than 6ft long. | |
Grand Lake Ace Hardware | 1221 Grand Ave. | Piedmont | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | There is a 5 light limit per trip. |
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 | |||
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 | |||
Pleasanton | |||
San Leandro | |||
San Leandro (Oro Loma - L3) | |||
San Lorenzo (Oro Loma) | |||
Unincorporated Oro Loma (L1) | |||
Union City |