How To Dispose of LED Light Bulbs? + Recycling Points

As you may be aware, LED lights are undoubtedly the best choice in the lighting market right now, and chances are to remain that way for a long time.

They’re relatively cheap, they last a long time, and they’re the most environmentally-friendly option available, next to using candles.

Not only that, but LEDs count for only 2% of the waste stream which means most bought are still in use – they last a long time!

But when they do eventually burn out, do you know how to dispose of LED bulbs safely?

LED bulbs contain hazardous chemical materials so must be disposed of carefully. They can sometimes be recycled – check stores for a take-back policy. To dispose of LEDs safely:

• Remove the burned out bulb from the fixture
• Place the bulb in a container so you can transport it safely
• Take it to the nearest recycling facility and dispose of it

In this guide, I’ll explain more around:

• Whether LEDs can be recycled
• How to carefully dispose of your light bulbs
• Whether LED lights can be thrown in the regular trash
• What to do with old, working LEDs

Can You Recycle LED Bulbs?

LED lights are recyclable. Ideally, this is what should happen. The rare earth minerals in old LEDs can be reused to make new light bulbs.

Like all-electric equipment, LEDs contain hazardous materials like arsenic, nickel, lead, and silver.

These earth metals are vital for most electrical equipment’s performance, and they’re finite – recycling them helps ensure they can make the next generations of bulb.

Although, they are harmful to humans in large doses, don’t worry, LEDs contain trace amounts, so even a broken bulb isn’t going to poison you.

Still, it’s better to make sure they’re recycled so that those materials don’t end up wasted on a trash heap.

Where Can I Recycle LED Light Bulbs? Recycling Points

Many local recycling centers accept light bulbs, otherwise the best place to recycle an LED light bulb in the US is a big-box home good store:

• IKEA – IKEA’s recycling policy
• Home Depot – Home Depot’s recycling policy
• Lowe’s – Lowe’s guide to recycling
• Batteries Plus – Batteries Plus’ recycling policy

Another alternative is to check with the bulb’s manufacturer. Provided you’ve bought a good quality bulb from a reputable brand, they can usually tell you how to recycle light bulbs they’ve made.

Elsewhere in the world, it’s worth looking online for recycling points and checking with local government.

The UK has an excellent website called Recycle Now which lets you find your nearest location to dispose of all kinds of bulb (incandescent light bulbs, halogen light bulbs, fluorescent bulbs and LED lights) in a way that will recycle their precious minerals.

How To Recycle LED Bulbs Correctly?

If you’re recycling a whole bulb that hasn’t shattered, you just need to:

If the bulb has broken/shattered, there are a couple of extra steps:

How to Dispose Of LED Strip Lights?

LED strip lights can be recycled in the same way and at the same locations as other types of LED light. Each light emitting diode is just a small bulb, with similar components along the strip. Take them to the nearest recycling facility or store offering light bulb recycling.

The only difference is the power supply – these are normally detachable and shouldn’t be recycled with the strip light. You may be able to recycle a burned out power supply at a dedicated recycling center which accepts small electrical items.

How to Dispose Of LED Tube Lights?

LED tube lights can be recycled in the same places as regular bulbs. They aren’t like their fluorescent bulb counterparts that need a special location. The only difference is that LED tubes are more fragile, so you’ll need to be carefully taking them to the recycling point.

Can LED Bulbs Be Thrown In The Trash?

In most parts of the world, LEDs can be thrown in the regular trash. Like incandescent and halogen bulbs, LED lights don’t tend to be hazardous and so you can dispose of light bulbs in your normal trash bin.

It would be better to recycle them though, if you can – it’s better for the planet since it means those metals are being reused for future bulbs.

Typically, fluorescent light bulbs and CFL bulbs can’t be put in the normal trash – it’s worth pointing that out. The gasses they contain are hazardous and so the bulb must be recycled carefully.

What To Do With Old LED Light Bulbs?

If you have old working LEDs that you aren’t using, here are the ways you can put them to good use:

With LEDs having such a long lifespan, there are lots of options to keep them useful. Don’t throw them out just because you don’t need them right this second.

Final Words

LED light bulb disposal is pretty straightforward. You can trash them, but recycling light bulbs is much better for the environment. The same recycling centers that accept incandescent light bulbs will likely take your LEDs off you as well.

Light bulb recycling only gets complicated when dealing with a compact fluorescent light (CFL) or fluorescent tubes.

If you don’t have stores near you, try a local recycling center, and ask them if they have a special area where you can recycle bulbs.

Read my article about what materials make up an LED bulb, to learn more about LEDs.