Where do you throw away LED light bulbs?

The replacement of old incandescent light bulbs (which have been banned from production in Europe since 2012) with LED ones is an important step to reduce environmental impact. In fact, you can get the same light while reducing energy consumption by up to 80% and ensuring a longer product lifespan. But where should you dispose of a used LED light bulb?

Proper disposal of light bulbs is very important for protecting the environment. There are two main ways to properly dispose of light bulbs, whether incandescent, halogen, or LED: using recycling centers for separated waste collection and take-back services at retailers.

• Recycling is one of the simplest and most effective ways to responsibly dispose of light bulbs. Most cities offer waste collection services for electronic materials, such as LED light bulbs. All necessary operations to safely disassemble the light bulb and properly recycle its components are carried out here.
• Additionally, light bulb retailers offer collection and recycling services for used light bulbs. This way, the place where you buy them is also where you can dispose of them, ensuring proper disposal and more efficient recycling. Creative Cables also offers this service at its exclusive stores in Milan, Rome, and Turin, where you can drop off your non-working light bulbs for proper disposal.

LED light bulbs last much longer than halogen or incandescent light bulbs, so it will take much longer before they need to be disposed of. A LED light bulb in a table lamp or pendant lamp can last up to 25,000 hours, so it usually takes 5–10 years before it needs to be replaced.

It’s also important to properly dispose of LED light bulbs to maximize the environmental benefits of energy savings. Their complex chemical composition means it can take anywhere from a few decades up to 500 years to decompose if not properly recycled. If thrown into general waste or trash bins, they not only release vapors and chemicals harmful to the environment, but also lead to the loss of valuable resources. For this reason, light bulbs must be disposed of correctly. This will not only help preserve resources, but also reduce waste and prevent soil contamination.

Although LED light bulbs in all household lamps are a great option for saving energy and costs, they contain a variety of hazardous chemicals and therefore must be properly recycled to prevent environmental harm, just like all electrical and electronic equipment. It’s also important to remember that LED light bulbs contain materials such as glass, copper, and other valuable metals that can be recycled. For this reason, they must be disposed of in containers designated for WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment). 

For information on how to dispose of light bulbs, check your local waste management authority’s website. You can also contact your local authority for guidance on safe disposal, as regulations vary by country.

In Italy, the options are:

• you can return them at the point of sale when you buy a new light bulb: by law, collection is free and must take place after purchasing a product equivalent to the one returned.
• you can drop them off at authorized collection centers, known as recycling centers. By law, special collection centers called recycling centers have been set up throughout Italy. To find the nearest one, just check the Centro di Coordinamento RAEE website.
• If you’re a Creative Cables customer, you can bring your used LED light bulbs to the brand stores in Milan, Rome, and Turin.