There are potential hazards when handling any type of lightbulb, so due care and attention should always be taken when doing so. This is especially the case with CFL lamps which contain traces of mercury required for operation.

Caution Hot!

It may seem obvious, but many types of lamp will get hot during operation. This is especially the case with halogen bulbs. Please bear this in mind when installing and removing lamps and also when choosing their positioning. Make sure they are mounted out of easy reach and away from combustibles such as soft furnishings. Many manufacturers will provide details on safety exclusion zones for lamps that run at high temperatures.

Don't Exceed the Maximum Wattage (or Size)

All light fittings and holders will be rated with a maximum wattage that they can safely handle. For lamps with shades, the shade may also only be suitable for use with specified bulbs. Always adhere to manufacturers recommendations, failure to do so could result in bulbs burning out, causing a fire-risk and damaging fittings. Also bear in mind the size of the lightbulb you are using. Installing a bulb that is too large into a lamp could result in insufficient clearance for the lampshade, which could cause a fire risk.

Safely Disposing of CFL's

As aforementioned, Compact Fluorescent Lamps use small amounts of Mercury in their operation. For this reason it is imperative that they are disposed of correctly. Most local councils operate a hazardous waste collection scheme, designed for substances such as paint and battery acid. These are available at many rubbish sites and tips, check with your local authority to find the one closest to you.

Use Appropriate Lamps for Outdoor Fittings

Most lamps are designed for use indoors or in closed luminaries (ie protected from the elements). Please ensure that you use an appropriate lamp for outdoor applications, particularly in open fittings or luminaries. GLS or golf ball style lamps can only be used in uncovered outdoor applications if the fitting includes appropriate watertight features and the bulb wattage is no more than 25W. Larger wattage bulbs are prone to cracking if splashed with rain while hot.

Avoid Breakages

Always handle lamps with care and store them appropriately to minimise the likelihood of glass breakage. If you do break a lamp, please remember that some lamps contain harmful substances and should be handled accordingly. Incandescent lamps pose little or no threat except that of the broken glass and can be dealt with as regular waste. Fluorescent tubes and most discharge lamps (eg SON, metal halide etc) contain potentially harmful chemicals that should be handled with care and disposed of in accordance with your local waste authority rules and health and safety policies.

WEEE Directive

The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive encourages the recycling of WEEE in order to reduce landfill and to reduce the potential effects on human health and the environment caused by the presence of hazardous substances which are contained in many types of electrical equipment.

The WEEE directive does not apply to conventional filament lamps (bulbs) which can be treated as normal waste but it does cover all types of discharge lamps such as fluorescent tubes, compact fluorescents, compact fluorescent energy savers, SONs, Mercury, Metal Halide and other types of discharge lamps. All of these contain various substances such as mercury, lead, cadmium or sodium which are potentially hazardous and/or damaging to the environment.

From 13th August 2005 all such items are marked with a crossed-out wheeled-bin symbol to show that these items should not be disposed of as general waste. LightBulbs Direct are obliged under these regulations to offer our domestic customers free take-back of their WEEE on a like-for-like basis when you buy new discharge lamps from us. Please contact us for details of your nearest recycling location if you are purchasing new discharge lamps and wish to send back the old ones for recycling. Businesses wishing to find out more about recycling can find further details on the Waste Recycling website.

RoHS

The Restriction of use of certain Hazardous Substances (RoHS) Directive came in to force on 1st July 2006. This aims to restrict the use of a number of hazardous substances including mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium and lead. All lamps that we supply are manufactured to meet the requirements of the RoHS directive.