For the Gazette   

PORTAGE COUNTY — With the warmer weather of summer, now is the time when many households clean the garage and basement of unwanted clutter. If you encounter fluorescent bulbs or other mercury containing items, be sure to deliver them to the Portage County Transfer Facility. 

Whether compact fluorescent bulbs or CFLs (spiral-shaped), four-foot fluorescent bulbs or other variations, they all contain mercury. Even bulbs marketed as “green” lamps contain trace amounts of mercury and should be recycled. 

According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, approximately 11% of a CFLs’ mercury remains when it is burned out. If improperly disposed, this mercury is released to the air or water. 

Due to the delicate nature of light bulbs and the aforementioned mercury content, bulbs should never be recycled in a curbside cart or via an apartment or commercial dumpster. Bulbs should be delivered, unbroken, to the Portage County Transfer Facility.

For more information, please call (715) 345-5970.