Can You Recycle Light Bulbs?
It depends
Depends on the bulb type — never curbside
Why
Incandescents are trash. CFLs contain mercury and are hazardous waste. LEDs contain electronics and recyclable metals. None belong in your curbside bin.
How to dispose of light bulbs
- Incandescent and halogen: wrap and put in the trash
- CFL: take to a hazardous-waste drop-off or a hardware store collection bin
- LED: many hardware stores and e-waste programs accept them
Greener option
Switching to LEDs means dealing with bulb disposal far less often.
♻️ Recycling rules vary by city and hauler — when in doubt, check your local program. You can look up your area on our trash & recycling schedules page.