Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Colorado Recycles CFLs

Happy Earth Day!

Almost missed it, but look what came in my inbox! (Thanks Heather!)

I've been using CFLs and was a little worried about how to dispose of them, but no longer.

Read on!

Entities Team Up for Compact Fluorescent Light Recycling

Recycle bins available at all 104 Colorado Ace Hardware stores

DENVER – Coloradans now can drop-off their used compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) and mercury-containing thermostats for recycling at any Ace Hardware store in the state. The recycling program is a collaborative effort of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Xcel Energy, EnCana Oil & Gas (USA) Inc., Platte River Power Authority and Ace Hardware Stores in Colorado.

Energy Star qualified CFLs use up to 75 percent less energy and last up to 10 times longer than typical incandescent light bulbs. However, CFLs contain small amounts of mercury and must be recycled appropriately. ENERGY STAR qualified programmable thermostats help save energy when used properly and are mercury free. However, manual thermostats contain mercury and must be recycled.

Bins are in place behind the counters of the 104 Colorado Ace Hardware stores so residents can recycle their used CFLs and thermostats. To prevent breakage, store employees will take bulbs and thermostats from residents and place them into the bins. When the bins are full, a store employee will ship them to be recycled. The entire CFL bin will be recycled – contents and container included – ensuring no mercury will escape.

“It's important to support consumers making smart energy choices, and the recycling program is a great way to do that," Gov. Bill Ritter said. "Anything that makes it easier for people to improve efficiency will make a difference for the environment and our energy needs.”

Jim Martin, executive director of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment said, “The department is excited to have such great partners that will make it possible for people throughout Colorado to easily recycle used compact fluorescent light bulbs and mercury containing thermostats. We always have encouraged the use of energy-efficient lighting and now that they have become widely used, we are making it convenient for people to recycle their used bulbs.”

The bulb-recycling program is for CFLs only, not fluorescent tubes, and is intended for residential use, not for businesses or the commercial industry.

Energy users who replace one incandescent bulb with an Energy Star qualified CFL can reduce their energy bills by up to $30 over the life of each 60-watt equivalent bulb and protect the environment. The department estimates that each CFL reduces the Colorado region's carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 180 pounds each year and 1,270 pounds over its lifetime, compared to the use of a 75-watt incandescent bulb (based on Energy Information Administration 1605(b) Voluntary Reporting of Greenhouse Gases, assuming operation hours, regional emissions factor and a lifetime of seven years).

Used CFLs and mercury-containing thermostats should not be disposed of in household trash receptacles. If a CFL or thermostat breaks, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment has advice at: http://www.cdphe.state.co.us/hm/mercury/index.htm

Ace Hardware Locations in Colorado

ACE HARDWARE 611 MAIN ST ALAMOSA
RALSTON ACE HARDWARE 9447 W 57TH AVE ARVADA
SHERIDAN ACE HARDWARE 5017 W 64TH AVE ARVADA
ACE HARDWARE OF ARVADA 8031 WADSWORTH BLVD UNIT ARVADA
ACE HARDWARE AT WESTWOODS 15530 W 64TH AVE STE G ARVADA
ALPINE ACE HARDWARE 300 PUPPY SMITH ST ASPEN
HOFFMAN HEIGHTS ACE HDWE 644 PEORIA ST AURORA
STRAIT LUMBER COMPANY 11150 E COLFAX AVE AURORA
ACE HDW AT BUCKLEY SQUARE 17190 E ILIFF AVE AURORA
MOORE LBR & ACE HDWE 5195 COUNTY ROAD 64 BAILEY
VALLEY LUMBER COMPANY 55 SUNSET DR BASALT
GREATWOOD LUMBER & HDWE 1555 S 1ST STREET BENNETT
BERTHOUD ACE HARDWARE 525 3RD STREET BERTHOUD
ACE HARDWARE BOULDER 2486 BASELINE RD BOULDER
AMERICAN PRIDE ACE HDWE 55 W BROMLEY LN BRIGHTON
FARM & HOME HARDWARE 122 CUSTER ST BRUSH
HERMAN LUMBER INC 1298 MARTIN AVE BURLINGTON
SONNY'S ACE HOME CENTER 3090 E MAIN ST CANON CITY
ACE HDWE OF CARBONDALE 1011 HIGHWAY 133 CARBONDALE
BIG JOHN'S LUMBER CO 200 S.W. 2ND STREET CEDAREDGE
CHEYENNE WELLS LUMBER 170 E 2ND STREET CHEYENNE WELLS
COLLBRAN SUPPLY INC 203 MAIN COLLBRAN
GARDEN OF THE GODS ACE HD 4201 CENTENNIAL BLVD COLORADO SPGS
BON ACE HARDWARE 2300 N WAHSATCH AVE COLORADO SPGS
ACE HARDWARE UINTAH GRDNS 1830 B W UINTAH ST COLORADO SPGS
CIRCLE ACE HARDWARE 1225 N CIRCLE DR COLORADO SPRING
COMMERCE CITY ACE HDWE EAST 69TH & HIGHWAY 85 COMMERCE CITY
ASPEN PARK HARDWARE INC 26572 BARKLEY RD CONIFER
CHOICE BUILDING SUPPLY 525 N BROADWAY CORTEZ
M.J.K. SALES AND FEED INC 288 RANNEY ST CRAIG
CRIPPLE CREEK HDWE & SPLY TELLER ONE HIGHWAY CRIPPLE CREEK
DELTA HARDWARE INC 121 W GUNNISON RIVER DR DELTA
PERL-MACK ACE HARDWARE 7041 PECOS ST DENVER
NINTH AVE ACE HARDWARE 1030 E 9TH AVE DENVER
12TH AVE ACE HARDWARE 2640 E 12TH AVE DENVER
TAMARAC SQUARE ACE HDWE 7777 E HAMPDEN AVE DENVER
UNIVERSITY HILLS ACE HDW 2500 S COLORADO BLVD DENVER
ACE HARDWARE-ALAMEDA STAT 417 S BROADWAY DENVER
CHERRY CREEK ACE HDW 1417 S HOLLY ST DENVER
MAIN SUPPLY 235 NORTH MAIN DOVE CREEK
KROEGERS ACE HARDWARE 8 TOWN PLZ DURANGO
POULSEN ACE HARDWARE INC 151 S OAK AVE EATON
EDGEWATER ACE HARDWARE 1719 SHERIDAN BLVD EDGEWATER
A&A TRADIN POST ELIZABETH 175 W KIOWA AVE ELIZABETH
A & A TRADIN'POST HDWE 4509 S BROADWAY ENGLEWOOD
ACE HDWE OF ESTES PARK 561 LONE PINE DR ESTES PARK
ACE HARDWARE OF FIRESTONE 8258 WELD COUNTY RD 13 FIRESTONE
FLAGLER ACE HDWE & BLD SP 423 MAIN AVE FLAGLER
POUDRE VALLEY COOP 225 NW FRONTAGE RD FORT COLLINS
DOWNTOWN ACE HARDWARE 215 S COLLEGE AVE FORT COLLINS
CLAYS' ACE HARDWARE 1001 E HARMONY RD UNIT B FORT COLLINS
ACE HDW OF FORT LUPTON 201 S ROLLIE AVE FORT LUPTON
MR. D'S ACE HOME CENTER 1000 EAST PLATTE AVENUE FORT MORGAN
FRASER VALLEY ACE HDWE 425 ZEREX FRASER
CO-OP COUNTRY 1650 HIGHWAY 6 AND 50 FRUITA
B1G JOHN'S BLDG/HOME CNTR 1210 DEVEREUX RD GLENWOOD SPGS
COUNTRY ACE HARDWARE & LU 627 W AGATE AVE GRANBY
VALLEY LUMBER COMPANY 432 NORTH AVE GRAND JUNCTION
ACE HARDWARE ON REDLANDS 2140 BROADWAY UNIT A GRAND JUNCTION
ACE HARDWARE OF CLIFTON 569 32 ROAD #4 GRAND JUNCTION
OFFEN ACE HARDWARE 1722 9TH ST GREELEY
ACE HARDWARE OF GREELEY 2626 A 11TH AVE GREELEY
ACE HDW OF GREELEY 3540 W 10TH ST GREELEY
ACE HDW CHERRY HILLS MRKT 5910 S UNIVERSITY GREENWOOD VLG
FULLMERS ACE HARDWARE 820 W TOMICHI AVE GUNNISON
VALLEY LUMBER COMPANY 210 AIRPARK GYPSUM
SMITH WHOLESALE HARDWARE 125 S COLORADO AVE HAXTUN
HIGHLANDS RANCH ACE HDWE 9579 S UNIVERSITY BLVD HIGHLANDS RANCH
ACE GAMBLES OF HOTCHKISS 121 E. BRIDGE STREET HOTCHKISS
JOHNSTOWN ACE HARDWARE 9 S PARISH AVE JOHNSTOWN
TRI-RIVER ACE HARDWARE 720 TYLER AVENUE KREMMLING
LA JARA TRADING POST 16555 STATE HIGHWAY 136 LA JARA
LA JUNTA TRADING CO 202 SAN JUAN AVE LA JUNTA
LAFAYETTE ACE HARDWARE 900 S HIGHWAY 287 LAFAYETTE
GREEN MOUNTAIN ACE HDWE 12035 W ALAMEDA PKWY LAKEWOOD
LAKE RIDGE ACE HARDWARE 2563 KIPLING ST LAKEWOOD
TNT HARDWARE 346 5TH ST LAS ANIMAS
PRONGHORN COUNTRY LTD 21761 HIGHWAY 40/287 LIMON
KIPLING ACE HARDWARE 5914 S KIPLING ST LITTLETON
LITTLETON ACE HARDWARE 6905 S BROADWAY STE 159 LITTLETON
BIG TOOL BOX 8080 S HOLLY STREET LITTLETON
COLUMBINE ACE HARDWARE 6720 S PIERCE ST LITTLETON
ACE HARDWARE LONGMONT 1727 MAIN ST LONGMONT
ORCHARDS ACE HARDWARE 269 E 29TH ST LOVELAND
VALLEY HARDWARE 401 E MARKET ST MEEKER
MONTE VISTA CO-OP 1901 E HIGHWAY 160 MONTE VISTA
ABEL'S ACE HARDWARE 22 S TOWNSEND AVE MONTROSE
INDIAN PEAKS ACE HARDWARE 74 HWY 119 SOUTH NEDERLAND
CO-OP COUNTRY 995 MAIN NUCLA
CIRCLE T LUMBER ACE HDWE 12 GOLDMINE DRIVE PAGOSA SPRINGS
TERRY'S ACE HARDWARE 525 NAVAJO TRAIL DR PAGOSA SPRINGS
CO-OP COUNTRY 205 W 8TH STREET PALISADE
VALLEY LUMBER CO 221 W 2ND ST RIFLE
BIGHORN ACE HARDWARE 1241 BLUE RIVER PARKWAY SILVERTHORNE
ACE HARDWARE 2155 CURVE PLZ STEAMBOAT SPRIN
MR. D'S ACE HOME CENTER 1350 W MAIN ST STERLING
STRATTON EQUITY CO-OP 341 - 1ST STREET STRATTON
TIMBERLINE ACE HARDWARE 200 E COLORADO TELLURIDE
MISSION TRACE ACE HDWE 3851 E 120TH AVE THORNTON
VAIL VALLEY ACE 2111 N FRONTAGE RD W VAIL
VALLEY ACE HARDWARE 1 ENTERPRISE DR WESTCLIFFE
WINDSOR ACE HARDWARE 1245 MAIN ST WINDSOR
QUALITY FARM & RANCH CENT 333 DEXTER ST WRAY
QUALITY FARM & RANCH CTR 700 E 8TH AVE YUMA


So if you haven't yet picked up CFLs because you were worried about how to dispose of them, worry no longer my friend. Go get some and do something good for the planet and yourself. It's Earth Day, after all!

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thank you, thank you, thank you!! I am so glad I read this. We were just trying to figure out where to take these...and complaining about having to go to the hazardous waste place!

YAY, Ace!!

Scylla said...

Excellent Earth Day post!

We saved some rainforest and planted a tree with Rainforest.com off the Hunger Site.

I finally got video of Toddler Boy up and running, so you can see him racing around! Miss you!

Crunchy Domestic Goddess said...

excellent! thank you for posting this. :)
and happy belated earth day.

Crunchy Domestic Goddess said...

btw, i got that same spammy post from johnny5 on the post i wrote about CFLs a few weeks ago. niiiiice.

we're onto you now, johnny5! :oP ::runs at johnny5 while shaking her fist wildly::

Woman with a Hatchet said...

Amy: I know! Totally spam. I followed a link in Sitemeter and found he/they had spammed EVERYONE that wrote about CFLs on Earth Day.

And they just "happen" to be in the biz of selling bulbs.

And clearly they didn't actually READ the article, which talks about proper disposal and recycling. Lame!

Nicole: you're welcome!

Misty: good on you! For the tree and the toddling toddler of Doom!

Unknown said...

Johnny 5 is a total spammer and I am fighting his spam with posts of my own on all his spam so people know.

He forgot that:

Most CFLs today on the market contain less than 5mgs of mercury and there are CFL options out there that contain as little as 1.5mgs of mercury- which can hardly be called a “significant amounts of mercury” considering that many item in your home contain 100s of times more of mercury including your computer. Mercury levels in CFLs can never be “nonexistent” since mercury is a necessary component of a CFL and there is no other known element that is capable of replacing it. But CFLs actually prevent more mercury from entering the environment. According to the Union of Concerned Scientist, “a coal-fired power plant will emit about four times more mercury to keep an incandescent bulb glowing, compared with a CFL of the same light output”.

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