The good news is that the mercury, glass and metal components of a CFL bulb can all be recycled and reused if processed correctly. ... Again, because these bulbs contain mercury, they should not be tossed out with your regular trash unless your municipality specifically tells you to do so.

Can I put a lightbulb in the recycling?

Old style incandescent bulbs are not recyclable. Please throw them away in your waste bin. Don't be tempted to recycle your old light bulbs with your glass bottles and jars. They are made from a different type of glass and also contain metal parts.

Do LED light bulbs need to be recycled?

Do I need to recycle LED bulbs? No, you don't necessarily need to recycle LED bulbs. You can, but you're not required to do so. They don't contain hazardous materials so they are safe to throw into the black landfill bin.