Fluorescent lamp disposal

Find out how to dispose of compact fluorescent lamps responsibly and safely

Many households use compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) or fluorescent tubes.

Generally these lamps can be disposed of as regular household waste, however there are other more environmentally friendly options.

Disposing of fluorescent lamps

Queensland Health advises disposing of fluorescent lamps in the regular waste bin is a suitable option. The small amounts of mercury used in these new lamps makes the recovery of mercury difficult and expensive. People who would like to use a more environmentally friendly method of disposal can drop the lamps at one of council’s following resource and recovery centres: Beerwah RRC, Buderim RRC, Caloundra RRC or Nambour RRC. There is a $1 charge per lamp or fluorescent tube for domestic customers and a $2 charge per lamp or fluorescent tube for commercial customers. These charges cover the cost of a contractor collecting and recycling the fluorescent lamps in an environmentally responsible way.

Never place CFLs or fluorescent tubes in the recycling bin as they will break during collection or processing and contaminate other recyclables.

Recycling fluorescent lamps

Businesses with large volumes of fluorescent lamps can have them collected and recycled by private companies such as:

  • CMA Ecocycle – call 1300 326 292 to arrange a collection.
  • SITA Environmental Solutions – call 13 13 35 to arrange a collection.

More information

View the compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) disposal fact sheet (PDF, 365KB).

Visit the Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency website to obtain more information regarding CFLs and mercury.

Visit the FluoroCycle website to obtain more information on lamp recycling services.

View the Department of Environment website to obtain more information on safe disposal of mercury-containing lamps.