Box up & mail CFLs, batteries and electronics with Think Green® From Home recycling kits.

The nation's largest waste-management provider launched a new program this week that allows consumers to recycle household wastes like compact fluorescent lightbulbs and batteries without leaving their homes.

Eventually, the program will be expanded to include small electronics, such as iPods and cellphones.

Waste Management Inc.'s ThinkGreenFromHome.com is an online service that allows residents to order - for $14.95 - a prepaid-postage kit in which they can dispose and recycle their CFL bulbs and batteries.

The lightbulb kit holds up to 15 10-watt CFLs. When full, it can be mailed back to the company, which will turn the CFLs over to one of its divisions that already recycles such materials for commercial businesses.

"Waste Management is looking at a lot of things as it relates to recycling materials and keeping certain items out of the waste stream," said Don Cassano, director of public affairs for Waste Management of Arizona.

Because CFLs contain mercury, government agencies have been trying to discourage residents from placing them in their trash and sending them to landfills.

Options for recycling have been somewhat limited, one could take their bulbs to one of several private businesses for disposal.

Late last month, choices expanded when the Home Depot announced their National CFL Bulb Recycling Program where they would collect CFLs free of charge. Customers can bring any used, unbroken CFL bulbs to the return counter. The store will package it and transport it to a facility for recycling.

Waste Management's program gives consumers another option by allowing them to recycle without leaving the comfort of their home, so long as they're willing to pay the fee.

"The real key is to make it convenient for consumers," said Don Cassano


For more information on the Waste Management program, visit www.ThinkGreenFromHome.com

Source: The Arizona Republic