Many household products contain mercury, from CFLs to button batteries to some thermometers. While mercury isn’t recyclable, many of these products are. You will likely have to utilize your local household hazardous waste (HHW) facility or events to properly dispose of and recycle items containing mercury.
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Frequent Items Containing Mercury Recycling Questions
What items contain mercury?
Many consumer products may contain mercury, including compact fluorescent lightbulbs, thermometers, thermostats, and mercuric oxide and button cell batteries. Visit EPA.gov for a complete list.
Are there laws against throwing mercury in the trash?
Some states do have laws against throwing mercury-containing products in the trash, so be sure to check your local laws before disposing of these products. Many cities and towns host household hazardous waste collection events for the recycling of these items.
Why is mercury dangerous?
Mercury exists in three chemical forms, the most common of which is methylmercury, which people are exposed to by consuming fish. Methylmercury can impair neurological development in fetuses, infants, and children. Other forms of mercury can cause damage to the lungs, gastrointestinal tract, kidneys, and nervous system. A mercury spill can release toxic vapor into the air, which is a health hazard.
Why is mercury used in products?
Mercury is used in many different products because of its useful properties, which include the ability to conduct electricity, expand in response to pressure and temperature, and form alloys with other metals. Some manufacturers have reduced their use of mercury, and the EPA encourages consumers to select products without mercury when possible.
Will manufacturers of these products take them back after they’ve been used?
Some manufacturers and retailers do offer take-back programs for mercury-containing items. The Northwest Product Stewardship Council offers a list of some options.
Can mercury and mercury-containing products be mailed in for recycling?
Despite the growing number of mercury recycling drop-off locations, mail-in services are likely to be one of your easiest options. Check out these:
- Waste Management’s Think Green From Home program offers prepaid CFL and fluorescent tube mail-in kits.
- EcoLights‘ fluorescent, CFL, ballast, and ewaste recycling containers start at $31.45.
- SimpleCycle offers lighting and other mercury-containing products recycling through a prepaid mail-in program.
- Thermostat Recycling Corp. accepts all manufacturers’ mercury-containing products, and offers drop-off bins for use in retail location.
- OrderBakPak offers pre-paid mail-in packaging for lamps and lighting ballasts that contain mercury.
- Veolia prepaid mail-back programs for lighting, batteries, and even dental waste containing mercury are available in the U.S. and Canada.
- BulbCycle also sells mail-in kits for lamps, smoke detectors, and other ewaste containing mercury.
- WasteSecure mail-in programs cover mercury-containing lighting, ballasts, and electronics recycling for home and business.
- Aircycyle, now a unit of Terracycle Regulated Waste, offers CFL recycling containers for $44.
- LampMaster recycles a wide range of lamps, ewaste, and other mercury-containing products through its prepaid mail-in services.