How Can I Dispose Of My Light Bulbs and Batteries?

Disposing of light bulbs and batteries requires careful consideration as they contain materials which could be harmful to the environment.

Can I put light bulbs in the recycling bin?

You should not put most light bulbs in your recycling bin, standard incandescent and halogens ones can go in the general waste bin but must be wrapped carefully first.  The other types of lighting such as CFL’s and LED’s contain materials that make them unsuitable for domestic bin collections and you should use specialist recycling.

CFL’s and Fluorescent tubes contain small amounts of mercury and must be recycled at designated collection points.

LED’s do not contain mercury but they do have electronic components so these must be disposed of via WEEE schemes (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment)

Can I just throw batteries in the bin?

Batteries should not be put in a general waste bin as they can as they can pose a fire hazard.  Batteries can also be an environmental hazard as they contain lead, mercury and lithium and when sent to landfill they can leak into the soil causing pollution.  Modern batteries found in mobile phones, laptops etc are a fire risk as damage or overheating can cause a thermal runaway leading to fires in refuse collection vehicles.

All battery types including AA, AAA, C, D, 9V and button cells should be recycled as they have materials like zinc, manganese and nickel which can be recovered and reused.

What is the best way to dispose of old light bulbs?

• CFL’s - Designated WEEE/Hazardous waste recycling points
• LED’s - WEEE recycling sites, household waste recycling and retail collection points
• Incandescent bulbs - General waste but safely wrapped
• Halogen bulbs - General waste but safely wrapped

Where to dispose of light bulbs in the UK for free?

In the UK the disposal and recycling of light bulbs and batteries is usually free using the WEEE schemes.

WEEE schemes are normally found at household waste recycling centres or local tips.

Large retailers (stores that see a large amount of electrical items and light bulbs are often required to offer a free take back service.

Local councils sometimes run specific collection events or provide collection boxes, you would need to check on your councils website for details.

For batteries there are many shops that have collection boxes available and the household recycling centres have dedicated boxes for batteries.