One Man's Trash ; ... CAN POSE A PROBLEM IN THE LANDFILL. ENERGY-SAVING LIGHT BULBS WITH MERCURY LEAVE CITY LOOKING FOR DISPOSAL SOLUTION

How many people does it take to dispose of one of those new energy-efficient light bulbs? Lots. In a graphic demonstration of the principle that no good deed goes unpunished, Albuquerque city officials are scrambling to come up with a system to dispose of compact fluorescent light bulbs.

Their solution for now: send someone to your house and pick up the bulb when you're done with it.

The bulbs, touted for their energy efficiency, contain a tiny amount of mercury, a hazardous chemical that can cause nervous system damage. That makes them a potential environmental headache when it comes time to throw them out.

It's a new example of an old problem -- what to do with all our household hazardous waste, from old cans of paint and batteries to the ever-growing pile of obsolete electronic devices that litter our lives.

For city residents, the temporary light bulb solution is to call the city's 311 information line. Operators will hook you up with the city's Environmental Health Department, which will send someone to your house to collect the bulb, according to department associate director Mary Lou Leonard.

The city will drop the bulbs off in bulk at a certified hazardous waste disposal site, according to Leonard.

In the long run, the city is working with its household hazardous waste contractor, Rinchem, to come up with a more efficient disposal plan, Leonard said.

Under a contract with the city, Rinchem, at 6133 Edith NE, will dispose of your household hazardous waste at no charge. Each time a resident takes in a load, however, the city's solid waste department is charged $70. The city was concerned costs could rise in a hurry if residents started dropping off used light bulbs one at a time, Leonard said.

For now, if you drop off a bulb at Rinchem, the company has agreed as a courtesy not to charge the city $70 while a permanent solution is worked out, Leonard said.

Outside of Albuquerque, officials recommend doing what you do with other household hazardous items, things like old batteries, paint and electronic devices. The city of Rio Rancho, for example, holds household pickup days every few months.

You can bring your used compact fluorescents to Rio Rancho's pickup days, said Polly Wagner, Rinchem's facility manager.

Santa Fe holds regularly scheduled household hazardous waste dropoff days; Las Cruces accepts household hazardous wastes at its recycling center.

The problem, officials say, is that smaller communities and rural areas often do not have any household hazardous disposal system set up, whether for compact fluorescent bulbs or any other of the myriad kinds of hazardous wastes around the house.

Those people have little choice but to throw the materials in the trash, said Auralie Ashley-Marx, head of the state Environment Department's Solid Waste Bureau.

Compact fluorescents have seen a rapid rise in popularity because of their energy efficiency. According to the Department of Energy, they use one quarter the electricity of traditional incandescent bulbs, and last up to 10 times longer.

That has drawn enthusiastic support from those hoping to cut the greenhouse gases emitted from power plants. The city and the Sierra Club recently sponsored a "light bulb exchange," handing out free compact fluorescents to residents who brought in old incandescents as trade-ins.

Traditional fluorescents commonly used in businesses also have mercury in them. What is different now is the widespread use of compact fluorescents in homes.

Environmentalists point out that even with the mercury problem, compact fluorescents are still a good environmental bargain. Coal power plants also emit mercury, noted Jeanne Bassett of Environment New Mexico.

"The overall mercury emissions are less because we're burning less coal," she said. Other hazardous materials Compact fluorescents are just the latest example of hazardous wastes around the house. Under New Mexico law, it is generally legal to just throw them in the trash, but officials work to keep them out of landfills because of contamination risks. The easiest thing to do is buy nonhazardous alternatives -- ones that do not include the word "warning" or similar designations on their label. If you have hazardous materials, use them up before throwing out the container.

Among the common household hazardous materials:

# Adhesives and glues

# Oil or enamel paints

# Batteries, all types

# Auto fluids, including antifreeze air conditioning refrigerants

# Herbicides and other garden chemicals

# Bug sprays

# Oven cleaners

Sources: Environmental Protection Agency, New Mexico Environment Department

(c) 2007 Albuquerque Journal. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.