How to Recycle Incandescent Bulbs
Traditional tungsten-filament bulbs. Trash-OK for burnouts. Not universal waste.
Quick answer
Incandescent bulbs contain no mercury and are not curbside-recyclable. Wrap a burned-out bulb and put it in the trash. Working bulbs can be donated; some IKEA stores also accept lightbulbs at their recycling point.
- Recyclable
- Not curbside
- Donate / take-back
- Available
- 1Donate working bulbs if someone can use them
- 2Wrap burned-out bulbs before trashing
- 3Optional IKEA or Batteries Plus drop-off where offered
- Household trash
- Thrift donation (working bulbs)
- Some IKEA recycling points
Do not put incandescents in curbside recycling. Glass and filament recovery is not economical in municipal programs.
Disposal impact is small per bulb. Replacing frequent-use sockets with LEDs cuts energy use and replacement waste.
- Donate working bulbs
- Replace high-use sockets with LEDs first
- Keep vintage Edison bulbs if they have collector value
Accepted
- Standard and decorative incandescents
- Appliance bulbs
Not Accepted
- Curbside recycling bins
Why can't I recycle incandescents with bottles?
Lighting glass melts at different temperatures and contaminates bottle cullet.
Does IKEA take incandescent bulbs?
IKEA's battery and lightbulb recycling messaging includes incandescent bulbs in several markets. Confirm at your US store's recycling point.
- How to recycle LED Bulbs
- How to recycle CFL Bulbs
- How to recycle Fluorescent Tubes
- How to recycle Halogen Bulbs
- How to recycle High-Intensity Discharge (HID) Lamps
- How to recycle Neon and Argon Lights
- How to recycle Holiday and String Lights
- How to recycle LED Strip Lights
- How to recycle Emergency and Exit Lighting
Recycling centers that accept Incandescent Bulbs
RecycleFind lists recycling centers that accept incandescent bulbs. Open a listing for hours, contact info, and directions.
Browse incandescent bulbs recycling by state