Washington residents and businesses can recycle mercury-containing bulbs for free through the LightRecycle program. This initiative, funded by an environmental handling fee on retail sales, allows individuals and businesses to drop off bulbs at collection sites statewide.
Accepted Bulbs & Limits:
- Compact Fluorescent Lights (CFLs): Unlimited daily recycling for screw-based CFLs.
- Fluorescent Tubes: Up to 15 pin-based tubes per day.
- High-Intensity Discharge (HID) Lamps: Up to 2 per day.
Upcoming Sales Ban
If you’re planning a lighting upgrade, consider switching to LEDs. Washington will ban the sale of most mercury-containing lights by 2029, with LightRecycle collections ending in 2035.
Business Participation
Businesses that purchase bulbs at retail in Washington qualify for free recycling. However, businesses must handle lights as universal waste if purchased wholesale or exceeding daily limits.
For more details and drop-off locations, visit LightRecycle Washington.
