Lamp recycling information for District of Columbia.
This page covers lamp recycling rules for District of Columbia, not confirmed service availability. Send your ZIP and counts; any pickup or mail-back option will be confirmed in a written quote.
- Fluorescent, CFL and HID
- Ballasts and batteries
- Availability checked by ZIP
- A record for every job
How District of Columbia treats spent lamps.
Each row comes from a District of Columbia agency, statute or EPA page we read. Where a row is missing, we could not verify it, and the federal baseline applies until the state says more.
| Topic | What applies | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Business lamps | Businesses may ship universal waste lamps in approved containers to an approved disposal or recycling facility, or have an authorized transporter pick them up. | DOEE, Proper Management of Bulbs and Batteries for Facilities and Businesses |
| Household lamps | District residents are told to dispose of CFL bulbs at the Department of Public Works Special Waste Collection Events. | Zero Waste DC, Special Waste - Residents |
| Crushing lamps | Businesses may use a drum-top crusher, but must treat the crushed contents as hazardous waste until proven otherwise. | DOEE, Proper Management of Bulbs and Batteries for Facilities and Businesses |
| Batteries | Since August 1, 2023, D.C. Official Code 8-771.09 bans disposal of single-use and rechargeable batteries in the trash; they must be recycled. | DOEE, Proper Management of Bulbs and Batteries for Facilities and Businesses |
| State program | DPW Special Waste Collection Events: The DC Department of Public Works holds Special Waste Collection events where residents can drop off CFL bulbs along with household hazardous waste and electronics. | Zero Waste DC, Special Waste - Residents |
| Universal waste | EPA's state table lists lamps in District of Columbia's universal waste program, citing 20-4273. | EPA, Universal Waste Programs in the United States |
| Federal baseline | Under federal rules, business lamps can be managed as universal waste under 40 CFR Part 273. That means closed containers that prevent breakage, a label, and no more than one year in storage. | 40 CFR Part 273 |
| Regulator | Department of Energy and Environment (DOEE). | DOEE, Proper Management of Bulbs and Batteries for Facilities and Businesses |
Scroll the table sideways to see every column.
Read from the sources named, October 3, 2026. Rows appear only where a source was verified. Federal rules shown where noted. States can be stricter. Not legal advice.
District of Columbia city pages.
Each city page carries the District of Columbia rules above, nearby cities and any local programs we verified. Send your ZIP code with the form for a written quote.
W to W
EPA's universal waste page lists fluorescent, HID, neon, mercury vapor, high pressure sodium and metal halide lamps. A fluorescent lamp holds 3.5 to 15 milligrams of mercury, per EPA. Universal waste can be stored for a year and ships without a hazardous waste manifest.
What District of Columbia facilities teams ask.
Can a business in District of Columbia put fluorescent tubes in the trash?
Businesses may ship universal waste lamps in approved containers to an approved disposal or recycling facility, or have an authorized transporter pick them up. Send counts from your District of Columbia site and we reply with a written quote.
Can lamps be crushed in District of Columbia?
Businesses may use a drum-top crusher, but must treat the crushed contents as hazardous waste until proven otherwise. Whole lamps are the simpler path: they ship as universal waste and keep their mercury inside until the recycler captures it.
How much does lamp recycling cost in District of Columbia?
We reply with a written quote based on your counts and ZIP code. Public contracts price lamps by the foot, by the lamp or by the pound, often with a minimum charge per pickup. Our pricing page explains each unit.
Can you collect from a District of Columbia site?
Send your ZIP code and rough counts with the form. We check whether pickup or mail-back is available there before quoting. A city page is not a service guarantee. Every completed job ends with a recycling record.
What should households in District of Columbia do with old lamps?
District residents are told to dispose of CFL bulbs at the Department of Public Works Special Waste Collection Events. We serve businesses, property managers and contractors rather than households, so home lamps are best taken to a local collection program.
Does District of Columbia have a battery recycling law?
Since August 1, 2023, D.C. Official Code 8-771.09 bans disposal of single-use and rechargeable batteries in the trash; they must be recycled. For lithium batteries, EPA asks that each one be bagged on its own or have its terminals taped before it ships.
Federal rules shown where noted. States can be stricter. Not legal advice.
Related pages.
Lamps waiting at a District of Columbia site?
Send rough counts and your ZIP. The written quote will confirm whether pickup or mail-back is available for that location.