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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IKEA (Emeryville) | 4400 Shellmound St. | Emeryville | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | Only accepts tube fluorescent 4 feet long and under. | |
Recology SF Business Haz. Waste Drop-Off (VSQG Program) | 501 Tunnel Ave. | San Francisco | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off, Drop-off for a Fee | First 30 bulbs or tubes are free - $3.00/unit for greater than 30. Bulbs and tubes must be delivered in sealed boxes and labeled as Universal Waste. Use Public Disposal Area or make appointment for VSQG Service. SF businesses ONLY | |
City Lights | 1585 Folsom St. | San Francisco | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | There is a 5 light limit per trip. | |
Safety Kleen Systems (Rohnert Park) | 5750 Commerce Blvd | Rohnert Park | Safe Disposal | Pick-up for a Fee | ||
Safety Kleen Systems (Sacramento) | 6000 88th Street | Sacramento | Safe Disposal | Pick-up for a Fee | ||
ewasteCollective (Novato) | 42 Digital Drive #3 | Novato | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | Ballasts Only | |
Roberts Hardware | 1629 Haight 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. | |
Environmental Logistics |
Northern CA Office 3200 Depot Rd |
Hayward | Safe Disposal | Pick-up for a Fee | Commercial volume. All bulbs | |
Photo Waste Recycling Co. |
2980 Kerner Boulevard Northern CA Headquarters |
San Rafael | Safe Disposal | Pick-up for a Fee | ||
Pagano's Hardware Mart | 640A Central Avenue | Alameda | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | No large quantities. CFL's no longer than 4 ft. | |
SF Hardware | 512 Divisadero St. | San Francisco | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | There is a 5 light limit per trip. | |
Cole Hardware | 70 4th St. | San Francisco | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | There is a 5 light limit per trip. | |
Cole Hardware | 956 Cole 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 | ||
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. | |
Quick Light Recycling | 170 South Spruce Ave | South San Francisco | Safe Disposal | Pick-up for a Fee | ||
Pete's Ace Hardware | 2569 Castro Valley Blvd. | Castro Valley | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | CVSan directs Castro Valley residents encouraged to bring boxed CFLs and fluorescent tubes to Pete's Hardware. Max of 6 tubes per customer at a single visit. | |
Soko Hardware | 1698 Post St. | San Francisco | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | There is a 5 light limit per trip. | |
Cole Hardware | 2254 Polk St. | San Francisco | 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 |