Since March 2006, consumers have been required by the Electrical and Electronic Equipment Act (ElektroG) to dispose of used lamps (with the exception of incandescent lamps and halogen lamps) in a professional and environmentally friendly manner, i.e. to hand them in at a municipal collection point or recycling center. The lamps that may no longer be disposed of in household waste include:
- Fluorescent lamps (fluorescent tubes)
- Discharge lamps (including metal halide lamps)
- LED lamps
- Compact fluorescent lamps with or without ballast (energy saving lamps)
At www.lightcycle.de you can find out where you can find a free collection point near you.
Incandescent lamps and halogen lamps are not affected. These can still be disposed of in the household waste.
Correct handling of broken energy-saving lamps:
Energy-saving lamps contain small amounts of mercury, but these are well below the legal limits, so they do not pose a health risk. Nevertheless, you should take a few precautions if an energy-saving lamp breaks:
- Carefully pick up the fragments with a damp cloth.
- Pack them airtight in a plastic bag or mason jar.
- Take them to the hazardous waste collection point.
- Avoid skin contact and then ventilate the room for 20 to 30 minutes.
- Do not use a vacuum cleaner to pick up the fragments.