Home Depot sells an impressive range of light bulbs in its more than 1900 stores across the US, including incandescent bulbs, LED strips, and fluorescent tubing.
However, once your light bulbs have outlived their use, you may be wondering – will Home Depot recycle light bulbs if you return them to a store? Here is what I’ve discovered through my research!
Does Home Depot Recycle Light Bulbs?
Home Depot recycles some types of light bulbs, including CFL bulbs, in-store, with recycling services differing across locations. It does not recycle harmless bulbs like incandescent and halogen bulbs. Customers can use the Earth911 Recycling Search to locate other local companies that will recycle light bulbs.
If you want to learn more about which light bulbs Home Depot recycles, how much it costs to recycle bulbs at Home Depot, and much more, keep on reading!
What Kind Of Bulbs Does Home Depot Recycle?
Home Depot sells a range of bulbs, from incandescent bulbs to fluorescent tubing, but the retailer only recycles some of these bulbs.
Here is a list of light bulbs, along with an explanation of whether these are recycled by Home Depot:
CFL (Accepted)
CFL bulbs use less energy than traditional bulbs, but they contain a small amount of mercury which is toxic to humans and animals.
Because of this, these bulbs should be recycled to ensure they are disposed of correctly. Consequently, Home Depot runs an in-store recycling initiative for these types of bulbs.
Additionally, Home Depot has partnered with a national environmental management company that oversees the safe packaging, transportation, and recycling of the bulbs.
LED (Accepted By Some Stores)
LED bulbs contain very small amounts of heavy metals, which means that recycling these bulbs is best.
Though it is not entirely clear, we know that several Home Depot stores do accept LED bulbs for recycling.
If you’re unsure if your local Home Depot store will recycle your LED bulb, you should call ahead and check.
Incandescent (Not Accepted)
Incandescent bulbs are traditional light bulbs and do not need to be recycled. These bulbs contain lots of different components, making them difficult to recycle.
Although these can be thrown in regular household trash, care should be taken to wrap the bulbs to prevent breakages and injury.
Because of this, Home Depot does not recycle incandescent bulbs in-store.
Halogen (Not Accepted)
Halogen bulbs pose some threat to the environment and so are not generally recycled by Home Depot.
It is suggested that you dispose of these bulbs in their original packaging to prevent breakages.
Fluorescent (Not Accepted)
Fluorescent tubes, like CFL bulbs, contain mercury and so should be recycled properly since they are not suitable for household waste.
Unfortunately, Home Depot does not offer a recycling service for these bulbs, as its CFL recycling service is only for household bulbs.
Though Home Depot does not recycle a number of bulb types, it does offer information on the proper disposal of these bulbs on its website.
How Much Does It Cost To Recycle Light Bulbs At Home Depot?
Home Depot does not charge for the recycling service offered for CFLs.
The costs are entirely covered by Home Depot to ensure the consumer cycle is closed for their sales of CFL bulbs.
Where Can I Recycle Light Bulbs?
Although all of Home Depot’s U.S. locations offer a recycling service for CFLs, many bulbs cannot be recycled at Home Depot.
Many local recycling centers offer services to dispose of such lightbulbs, and you can check in with yours to find out if they do.
Note that the Earth911 Recycling Search can point you in the direction of recycling services for all kinds of bulbs local to your area.
The search asks you to input what you would like to recycle and your zip code to show you the details of all the local companies that can assist you.
If you are interested to know what other things Home Depot can recycle or not, make sure to check if Home Depot buys used appliances, if Home Depot buys Pallets, and if Home Depot buys used tools.
Conclusion
Home Depot recycles some kinds of bulbs without any extra costs. All stores across the US offer a CFL recycling service and some stores may accept LEDs for recycling.
Bulbs that can’t be recycled at Home Depot may be fine to be disposed of in the household waste. For those that aren’t safe to be disposed of in this way, several other services are available to recycle them.
