Compact fluorescent bulbs last longer and save energy compared to their traditional counterparts, but getting rid of them has been burdensome.
Compact fluorescent lights (CFL) reduce energy costs and last up to 10 times longer than standard incandescent light bulbs, but due to the presence of a small amount of mercury CFLs must be recycled. In Minnesota, it is illegal to throw CFLs in the garbage. Until now there hasn’t been a free and convenient way to recycle them. Both Menard’s Stores and The Home Depot stores will now accept CFL’s for recycling from consumers.
On June 9th, Great River Energy (GRE) and its 28 member cooperatives announced their partnership with the Center for Energy and Environment (CEE) to offer CFL recycling at no charge. Residential customers can drop off expired CFLs at the service desk of any of the 36 Menards home improvement stores located in Minnesota.
“This is the first recycling program of its kind in the state,” said Great River Energy Environmental Compliance Coordinator Matt Herman, “We provide electrical service to 28 member cooperatives across the state and partnering with Menards gives our members a free and convenient recycling option from International Falls to Rochester and Duluth to Moorhead.”
On June 24, The Home Depot launched a national in-store, consumer CFL bulb recycling program at all The Home Depot locations. This service is free of charge and the first such offering made so widely available by a retailer in the U.S.
At each Home Depot store, customers can bring any unbroken used CFL bulbs to the returns desk. The bulbs will then be managed responsibly by an environmental management company who will coordinate their safe and environmentally compliant transportation and recycling.
For MORE information about either of these programs please go to: