Added:
26, August, 2011
From:
kiran
Fluorescent bulbs and tubes save energy but contain mercury, a highly toxic substance, harmful to humans. It is essential that mercury does not enter the environment. Do not place your used CFLs in your household bins or throw them into the sea. The mercury can intoxicate fish, which in turn would intoxicate humans. Find your nearest collection point.
Steps to recycling:
Feed the lamps into the sorting machine.
Break up and sort the lamps into aluminium, glass and mercury powder.
Mercury powder is 'baked' to turn it into a liquid.
The mercury is heated up to 1000 degrees, for 8 to 12 hrs.
The recycled mercury is then given to manufacturers to create new fluorescent lamps.