# Disposing of old fluorescent tubes



## JanS (Apr 14, 2004)

Where do you take yours?
In this state, or at least this county, it's illegal to take them to the trash disposal sites, so they are piling up on me big time.

I think there may be places to take them, but it's quite a drive from where we live, and it doesn't give you too much incentive to want to do the right thing.  
With all of the fluorescent lights that are used for other things (even non-aquatic ), you would think they would make the disposal a little more user friendly.

Anyone else have that problem?


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## yoink (Aug 31, 2005)

I smash mine in the dumpster behind work. I love breaking them.


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## mazakman (May 10, 2006)

I live in California and we take ours to the recycle center. They will only take 6 8 footers at a time this is the only draw back. They are from my work that is why they are 8 footers. I tried to talk my wife into a 8 foot tank but no go......


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## Script404 (Jun 30, 2006)

UK here but our local tips have disposal sites for them.


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## joephys (May 9, 2006)

I have the same issue. The only place I know of is over 2 hours away and they chage a fee to take them. Its not on the top of my priorities to make that trip, so I have some old tubes just sitting around too.


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## John N. (Dec 11, 2005)

Not only are flourescent tubes suppose to be dispose of properly because of the mercury it has in them, but other electronic equipment, batteries, computers, tv's, etc.

Best thing to do is find a local recycling center near you http://www.earth911.org/master.asp and bring them there.

OR

If they don't have a local facility near you email your local City Government and ask them to provide you with locations. The Public Works Department can be very responsive to citizen's requests, and may incorporate a "Green" policy if more people request it. Over where I live, people are able to dispose of oils, and other items next to their typical recycling bins where they'll be dispose of properly.

-John N.


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## Laith (Sep 4, 2004)

Here in many locations there are specific areas where one can dump glass (for recycling), PET plastics, batteries, iron cans, aluminum cans, paper, oils...

Pretty much every town has at least one site with bins for all the above.

However, this is Switzerland so we can get a bit obsessive about this type of thing!  

Never seen anything specific for flourescents though. I usually give them to the LFS who says they dispose of them properly.


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## RoseHawke (Jan 4, 2005)

This is Alabama. We have ONE HHW recycling day a year when you can take stuff to designated dropoff points. And they've only had _that_ a couple of years! It's also not well advertised and it was purely by accident that I found out about it in the first place so that I was able to get rid of about 30 years worth of old paint and chemicals that had been sitting around.


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## Dewmazz (Sep 6, 2005)

yoink said:


> I smash mine in the dumpster behind work. I love breaking them.


OMG!  Ditto! It's such a satisfying POP! Shatter! tinkle tinkle...


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## John N. (Dec 11, 2005)

Though breaking those bulbs maybe fun. If you do have a chance to store them for recycling then please do so. I believe the reason why these bulbs need to be recycle is because of mercury entering our environment. As aquatic plant keepers, who strive to keep our aquariums tip top, let's also try to emulate this in our real lives and make our surroundings as nice as possible. Every little bit counts. 

If you fire off an email to your local City Hall, they will reevaluate making recyling these electronic items more available. Plus it makes it easier for your local garbage collectors who actually have to sift through your trash at the facilities and pick things out to recycle. Imagine opening your bags of trash, and picking out those things you could have recycled. I wouldn't want to do that, and neither do they. But sadly they do, everyday .

-John N.


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## JanS (Apr 14, 2004)

Thank you for that link John! There were a couple of places in the area that I didn't know about. You would think they'd advertise them a little bit so people can do the responsible thing....



John N said:


> As aquatic plant keepers, who strive to keep our aquariums tip top, let's also try to emulate this in our real lives and make our surroundings as nice as possible.


I agree, as responsible hobbyists, we should not let our actions give the hobby a bad name.


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## RoseHawke (Jan 4, 2005)

John N. said:


> ". . . If you fire off an email to your local City Hall, they will reevaluate making recyling these electronic items more available."


You don't think we haven't tried? I'm sure we'll get such eventually, but I'll be surprised if it's in this lifetime.

edit: in fact, although I don't have the article to hand they have _reduced_ some of the recycling pick-ups, drop-offs, etc.

This ain't California . . .


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