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At the Madison Hybrid Group meeting someone mentioned that they didn't know what to do with used fluorescent bulbs. I did a google search and it looks like Ace Hardware stores may be a place to recycle them.

I found this link http://dnr.wi.gov/org/aw/wm/publications/hazard/wa653-04.pdf

And this one
http://www.dnr.wi.gov/markets/matsearch.asp?mat_seq_no=2&mat_cat_seq_no=5

This pertains to Madison WI, but if you do a google search with the text "where can I recycle fluorescent bulbs" and add your city and state in there you are likely to find a local recycler.

The bulb packages come with a label that has the website to find the regulations and recycling centers for your area (lamprecycle.org). In MD, there are no restrictions for residential disposal. Most household lamps are exempt from any regulations almost everywhere- the thinking being that a) very small% of the total is from this source (for now?) and b) if its a pain to dospose of, even fewer people will use them. I have issues with (b), but hey.

I hadn't heard about ACE. I'll have to ask them next time I go in.

specific places to recycle Mercury lamps:
http://www.nema.org/lamprecycle/recyclers.html

btw, I finally found a LED seller with a wide variety of white LED lamps. None are over the output equivalent of a 25-30W bulb, but I ordered a bunch of 1W nitelights (3.95 ea) and a few others to check them out. My house goes through nitelights like crackers, so the $ is worth it if they last anythere near the 10Khour lifetime. Interesting thing is that the power supplies dissipate more power than the LEDs use in the nitelight! I also like the puck lights, but need a 12v source for those. No UV to fade the countertops, no heat, no snap/crackle/POP when they go...

http://www.superbrightleds.com/edison.html

Another BTW- in my experience with CFLs and switching power supplies for them (and in general) it is the power supply that is the weak link not the bulb. Every lamp I have seen go, except one, upon popping the case, showed evidence of powersupply failure. These were from various mfr's. LEDs also use switching power supplies, albeit stepdown, not up, but I expect those to agian be the weak link in a lamp's lifetime.

hm i'll add this to the list of "what not to throw in the garbage" along wtih dead batteries, fat content from cooking and used oil.