Use a ladder when removing the bulb to minimize the chance of you dropping it.
You may not be able to dispose of the tube right away, so store it in a dry, secure place where it won’t be jostled or moved around a lot (such as a rarely used storage closet).
Some local governments will also carry out collection drives, where agents come to your home to take away your hazardous waste. Contact your local government to find out if this is an option for you.
Note that some of these vendors may require you have to a minimum number of tubes to be disposed of, such as 10 pounds (4. 5 kg) worth. Your local government may also be willing to pick up the tubes from your business, for a small fee. This fee is usually somewhere between $0. 50-1. 00 per lamp.
The cost of shipping will vary based on your area and vendor, but it will probably be about $1 per lamp. For safety, be sure to wrap the tubes in bubble wrap or some other protective wrapping before shipping them.
Be sure to call the store ahead of time before you bring in your old tubes. Because it can be hazardous to transport the tubes, you’ll want to make sure the store will actually take them off your hands once you get there. Note that some stores may only recycle certain types of bulbs (such as CFLs or 4 ft (1. 2 m) fluorescent tubes).
Turn off your HVAC system to the room, if you can, to prevent the harmful mercury from spreading throughout the building.
This can be a glass jar with a metal lid, a plastic food container, or even a sealable plastic bag. Note that you should only vacuum the mess if there is dust or broken glass that you aren’t able to clean up with the piece of cardboard. Vacuuming could inadvertently spread the contaminated dust around the room, so only do this if you don’t have duct tape to use.
