Resource Recovery

Household Hazardous Waste Collection is July 30, 2009. For more information or to book an appointment, click here.

 

RecycleSmart Introduces Reference Guide, Read more.........

Fluorescent Light Bulbs & CFL's (Compact Fluorescent Light's)

According to the EPA:
Fluorescent light bulbs contain some elemental mercury, like the mercury that is found in an older fever thermometer. The mercury can be in vapor, liquid or solid forms. Mercury is a necessary component to the operation of most energy-efficient lighting. Light bulbs that contain mercury use 75% less energy than regular light bulbs and last up to 10 times longer. Fluorescent light bulbs (including compact fluorescent light bulbs) and high intensity discharge (HID) light bulbs are the two most common types of light bulbs that contain mercury. Take It Back (recycling options)




Compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) are an energy efficient and cost effective lighting alternative to regular incandescent light bulbs. A compact fluorescent light bulb fits in a regular light bulb socket or can be plugged into a small lighting fixture. CFLs are typically used in homes and are increasingly used by businesses. They use 75% less energy than incandescent light bulbs and last up to 10 times longer. 

What are the health effects of mercury exposure?

Compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) and other fluorescent light bulbs contain small amounts of mercury. For example, an average CFL contains 5 milligrams or about 1/100th of the amount of mercury found in a mercury fever thermometer. By comparison, older thermometers contain about 500 milligrams of mercury. It would take 100 CFLs to equal that amount.

No mercury is released when the bulbs are intact or in use; exposure is possible only when a bulb has been broken. Learn about how to clean up broken bulbs by visiting EPA's Mercury Web site.

 

"Take It Back" 

The "Take It Back"  program provides information where consumers can return unwanted products to local providers/businesses for reuse, recycling or responsible disposal. The program is growing on a weekly basis.

This is another program developed by the Grand Traverse County Resource Recovery Department, in order to reach the Grand Traverse County diversion goal of 42% by the year 2012. For more information please view the "Take It Back" link. The information is continuously updated with the most current data.

Can you help?

If you know of a business location that will accept product according to our registration requirements, please let us know.

With your help in identifying "Take It Back" opportunities, together we will build this program as a leading example of what can be accomplished and contributed by the Grand Traverse County community.






Take It Back Provider/Business Registration Form


 

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Published on a monthly basis, the RecycleSmart e-Newsletter will keep you informed on the most current Grand Traverse County recycling opportunities and issues.

As our obligation to become better stewards of our natural resources has grown, so have the ways in which we may preserve them. We believe recycling itself is a reusable and renewable resource—a means by which everyone can do their part. Although we may not always realize it, recycling is a process whose benefits affect our lives everyday and whose products surround us in remarkable ways—in kitchens, on rooftops, even the clothing on our backs.

Recycling is a manufacturing process with a wonderful twist — a way to make more with less. Every pound we recycle is one less pound we have to mine, smelt or mill and one less pound we have to bury or burn. Cans become more cans. Paper becomes insulation. Steel finds its way back into cars: all of which uses a lot less energy than if we were to make these things from scratch.

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