It seems like everyone is using the new energy saving lamp these days. While they are a great idea in terms of cutting down on energy usage, they come with a very real problem: how to recycle them. As the years have gone by and these energy savings light bulbs finally ran out of juice, many people unthinkingly have simply throw them away. However, this is not a good idea because these light bulbs have a small amount of mercury in them. As you probably know, mercury is very toxic to humans, animals and the environment. The more of these light bulbs that are thrown away instead of being recycled properly, the more real the possibility is that mercury could introduce toxins to our waterways and soil. Learning to dispose of them properly is crucial. 

Instructions
1. When you break an energy saving lamp, turn off all heating units, fans or air conditioners. Open a window and have everyone--including any pets--leave the room for at least fifteen minutes.
2. Make sure you put on rubber gloves. Use one piece of cardboard to push as many of the large pieces of the light bulb onto the other one. Put those pieces, along with the cardboard pieces, into a sealed plastic bag.
3. Take pieces of packing tape. Use them to pick up any of the smaller pieces from the broken light bulb. Add those to the plastic bag.
4. If your light bulb broke on a hard surface, use paper towels to wipe that surface down. Add it to the plastic bag holding everything else. If your light bulb broke on a rug, then go ahead and vacuum after you've followed the other steps. Add the bag in the vacuum to another sealed plastic bag.
5.Take your burned out half spiral energy saving bulb and your broken energy saving bulbs in sealed plastic bags to a hazardous waste disposal place in your city. This would be the same place as you would take old paint, pesticides and used batteries.
Tips & Warnings
If you're a business owner, some cities are now charging fines as much as $2,000 for dumping florescent lights at landfills. While they have yet to get the general public, it probably will not be long before they do so. Getting caught throwing away energy saving light bulbs could have a fine. Don't throw away your broken or burned out energy saving light bulbs in the trash. You will be contributing to mercury contamination which can cause birth defects and a whole host of other health problems if it were to get into the water or soil. Don't use your regular broom or dustpan to clean up a broken energy saver bulb as you could contaminate them with mercury, and that could spread to your whole house when you use them again.