Do you put light globes out for rubbish removal in Padstow Heights? You shouldn’t!

Most people are unaware that light globes can be recycled – though definitely not via your yellow-lidded council kerbside bin. They should never be thrown away in general waste.

Fluorescent Tubes and Compact Fluorescent Lampsare energy-efficient modes of lighting; however, it’s very important to know that these need to be kept out of the natural environment. This is due to the fact that they contain mercury, which is toxic. 96% of fluorescent globes currently end up discarded in a landfill.

Mercury affects the nervous system of both people and animals. While an individual fluorescent lamp or tube contains tiny amounts of mercury, many millions of fluorescent lamps and tubes are discarded each year. When these are found in landfill, it causes a large amount of toxic mercury to be leeched into the environment.

One fluorescent lighting tube alone can pollute thousands of litres of water.

There are companies that recycle lighting waste, including bulbs and globes. Some forms of lighting are more recyclable than others.

Mercury, as well as other materials, can be recovered from light bulbs, globes and tubes and recycled. During recycling, fluorescent tubes and globes are crushed. The materials that comprised the globes are sorted and separated.

• Glass is recycled to become glass wool, used in home insulation.
• Aluminium is reused for manufacturing purposes.
• Phosphor powder is reused in fertilisers.
• Mercury is distilled from the phosphor powder. This is reused.

Use energy-efficient globes – these help reduce the amount of mercury in the atmosphere. Most of this derives from burning fossil fuels to generate electricity.

CMA Ecocycle is Australia’s only EPA-approved mercury recycler; however, SUEZ also collects and recycles fluorescent lighting. So does Lamp Recyclers Australia.

Recycle all:

• Compact fluorescent lamps
• Fluorescent lamps
• HID lamps (used in street lighting)
• Neon tubes used in signage

NOTE: Older incandescent light globes are not recyclable. The glass in these will not melt in recycling facilities. They are not toxic to the environment and should be disposed of with other rubbish in landfill.

For fast rubbish removal in Padstow Heights, call AA Adonis Rubbish Removal services!