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State, Ameren team for lightbulb recycling program: Some stores, health departments designated as dropoff points
Oct 01, 2009 (Jacksonville Journal-Courier - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) --
COMPACT FLUORESCENT LIGHTBULBS -- the environmental sweethearts that use a third of the energy and last about 10 times longer than regular incandescent bulbs -- have one slight drawback.
The bulbs contain trace amounts of mercury -- an amount Ameren Illinois Utilities energy efficiency adviser Karen Warnke said is "about equal in size to the period at the end of this sentence."
Still, it's enough to make safe disposal of old bulbs tricky.
Through a $50,000 grant from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, Ameren Illinois has placed recycling containers at locations throughout the Jacksonville area.
Most of the bins will be located at county health departments and Ace Hwardware stores.
"[T]here is an increased awareness that CFLs need to be disposed of in a proper manner. It is important to know that CFLs are safe to use. We are asking Illinoisans to recycle CFLs," Warnke said.
Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Director Warren Ribley said making the switch to compact fluorescent lightbulbs "is an easy way Illinoisans can help reduce their carbon footprint."
In Jacksonville, bulbs will be accepted at Ace Hardware at 900 W. Morton Ave. and at the Morgan County Health Department at 345 W. State St.
Other recycling locations in the region are:
Beardstown -- R&H Farm and Home, U.S. 67 and Ill. 100.
Carlinville -- Ace Hardware, 111 E. First Street N.; Macoupin County Health Department, 805 N. Broad St.
Carrollton -- Greene County Health Department, 310 Fifth St.
Havana -- Ace Hardware, 207 W. Main St.
Pittsfield -- Pike County Health Department, 113 E. Jefferson St.
Rushville -- Kerr Home Center, 117 W. Washington St.
Springfield -- Ace Hardware, 1600 Wabash Ave. or 214 N. Walnut St.; Springfield Electric, 700 N. Ninth St.; Sangamon County Health Department, 2501 N. Dirksen Parkway.
Virginia -- Cass County Health Department, 331 S. Main St.
To see more of Jacksonville Journal-Courier or to subscribe to the newspaper, go
to http://www.myjournalcourier.com/. Copyright (c) 2009, Jacksonville
Journal-Courier, Ill. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For
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847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group
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