Rio Grande Electric Co-op Promotes Recycling of CFL Bulbs

April 17, 2008
By Cindy Edwards
Special to LIVE!

In conjunction with Earth Day, April 22, Rio Grande Electric Co-op will debut CFL Recycling Collection Stations in each of its six area offices. This service is available to not only RGEC member-consumers, but anyone who has used, unbroken CFL bulbs.

Saving energy and the environment make compact fluorescent bulbs, or CFLs, a welcome alternative to the old incandescent light bulbs. Because lighting accounts for close to 20% of the average home’s energy bill, CFLs are an important component of any energy conservation effort. They use 75% less energy, can last an average of seven years, and can save the average consumer about $30 per bulb per year. Multiply that by the number of lights in your home, and you’ve got a tremendous potential for saving both energy and money!

Mercury is an essential ingredient for most energy-efficient lamps. The amount of mercury in a CFL is very small. However, every product containing mercury should be handled with care. As energy-efficient lighting becomes more popular, it is important that we dispose of the products safely and responsibly. No mercury is released by the use of CFLs – only when they are broken, disposed of improperly, or are incinerated (burned).

If you break a CFL, clean it up safely. Open nearby windows to disperse any vapor that may escape and carefully sweep up the fragments. Then wipe the area with a paper towel to remove the glass fragments. Do not use a vacuum. Place glass fragments in a sealed zip lock bag and dispose with your regular household waste, if your area does not have a special disposal site. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says, “While CFLs for your home are not legally considered hazardous waste according to federal solid waste rules, it is still best for the environment to dispose of your CFL properly upon burnout.”

Rio Grande Electric Cooperative, Inc., headquartered in Brackettville, TX, is a member-owned, non-profit electric cooperative, serving rural residents in eighteen counties in Texas, and two counties in New Mexico. With offices in Brackettville, Carrizo Springs, El Paso, Fort Stockton, Dell City, and Alpine, RGEC employs over 100 rural residents. RGEC has a strong history of community service and promotion of sustainable rural development throughout its 27,000 square mile service territory. RGEC also maintains the electrical distribution system for Ft. Bliss, El Paso, TX, the nation’s largest Army Air Artillery Base. For more information on Rio Grande Electric Cooperative, call 1-800-749-1509, or visit the web site at www.riogrande.coop.

--Cindy Edwards, Rio Grande Electric Co-op