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Local Electric Co-op Recycles CFLs |
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Colorado’s electric cooperatives all promote the use of compact fluorescent light bulbs because of their energy efficiency. These curly bulbs use 75 percent less energy than conventional incandescent bulbs and last 10 times longer.
If every American home replaced just one light with an Energy Star CFL, the country would save enough energy to light more than three million homes for a year or about $700 million in annual energy costs, according to the Department of Energy. A CFL will save about $30 over its lifetime and pay for itself in about six months.
However, questions have been raised about the mercury that is contained in the CFL bulbs. While it is a small amount and can safely be disposed of in the trash, many local electric co-ops are offering to recycle these bulbs. Sangre De Cristo Electric in Buena Vista recently announced its recycling program in cooperation with Tri-State Generation and Transmission, its power supplier.
Co-op members are invited to bring unbroken CFL bulbs to the co-op headquarters at 29780 Highway 24 in Buena Vista where they will be collected. Ultimately, the bulbs will be shipped to Veolia, a leader in recycling technology. The mercury, glass and metals in the ballast will then be recycled.
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