Many households have begun replacing old incandescent light bulbs with those funny-looking spiral-tubed bulbs called CFLs, or compact fluorescent lights.
However, people may not realize that used CFL bulbs should not be thrown out with the household trash. Each energy-efficient bulb contains a small amount of mercury and requires care in handling and disposal.
Beginning Oct. 1, Cabarrus County will offer six CFL collection sites to provide safe disposal and recycling of CFL bulbs.
CFLs can be recycled at:
– Cabarrus County Public Library branches in Concord, Harrisburg Kannapolis and Mount Pleasant
– Cabarrus County Governmental Center, County Manager’s Office, 65 Church Street, Concord
– Cabarrus County Department of Social Services, 1303 S. Cannon Blvd., Kannapolis
Follow these steps:
1. Remove the bulb by turning it at the base of the bulb. To prevent breakage, never twist the bulb by the glass.
2. Place the bulb in a sturdy container. Place padding, such as towels or crumpled newspaper, around multiple bulbs to prevent breakage.
3. Bring the used bulb to the front desk of any of the six CFL collection locations. A county employee will seal the bulb in a plastic bag and store it in an approved, spill-safe container.
The Cabarrus County Household Hazardous Waste Facility at 246 General Services Drive, off N.C. 49 near U.S. 601, also accepts CFL bulbs and fluorescent tubes on the first Wednesday and third Saturday of each month. Long, fluorescent light tubes are only accepted for disposal at this facility.
Cabarrus County officials encourage residents to replace conventional incandescent bulbs with CFL bulbs. For each bulb replaced with a CFL, a household can save about $8 a year on its power bill.
Since the typical home uses 50 light bulbs or more, this could save more than $400 on electric costs each year.
Switching to CFL bulbs also reduces air pollution from coal-burning power plants, which emit carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas.
Residents who switch or take other actions to protect the environment are asked to help Cabarrus County win grant money by logging onto www.greencounties.org/changetheworld.
Cabarrus County has accepted the National Association of Counties’ challenge to see which county in each of three population categories can get the highest percentage of residents and employees to participate in the Change the World energy-efficiency campaign.
Three winning counties will receive $5,000 grants. Cabarrus County residents and employees can make a pledge online to try simple adjustments to make their homes more energy efficient.
For more information about using or disposing of CFLs, or how to clean up a broken bulb, log on to www.cabarruscounty.us or call 704-920-3278.