Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Home Depot Accepts C.F.L.s

Retailers are promoting compact fluorescent bulbs (C.F.L.s) as a way to save energy, but they don't usually mention that improper disposal of the mercury-containing bulbs creates a hazard.

Home Depot announced in June that it will accept spent compact fluorescents in all 1,973 of its stores in the United States, becoming the nation’s most widespread program for C.F.L.s.

Ron Jarvis, Home Depot's senior VP for environmental innovation, said “We kept hearing from the community that there was a little bit of concern about mercury in the C.F.L.’s. And if the C.F.L.’s were in their house, how could they dispose of them?”

Home Depot’s program provides a convenient way to recycle. Mr. Jarvis estimated that 75 percent of the nation’s homes are within 10 miles of a Home Depot.

Read about the Home Depot C.F.L. recycling program here.

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