Where do I take fluorescent bulbs in Montgomery County, MD?

Home CFLs, fluorescent tubes, and ballasts go to the Household Hazardous Waste drop-off in the Recycling Area of the Shady Grove Processing Facility and Transfer Station at no additional charge. The county does not limit the number of bulbs you may drop off at HHW. LCD or LED bulbs from home also go to HHW at no charge. Confirm the morning you go.

Can I put incandescent or halogen bulbs in the trash?

Yes. Montgomery County How Do I: dispose of incandescent and halogen light bulbs in your regular trash collection. Those kinds are not the HHW path.

What if a CFL or fluorescent tube breaks?

CFLs and tubes contain a small amount of mercury. County How Do I points to US EPA cleanup instructions for broken fluorescent bulbs. After cleanup, double-bag the broken CFL or tube in a re-sealable plastic bag and place it in household trash. Do not put CFLs or tubes into the recycling bin. This page is not medical advice.

Where do businesses take fluorescent bulbs?

Register for ECOWISE at the same Shady Grove HHW compound. Monday–Friday 8 a.m.–12 p.m. Fee schedule applies. How Do I posts $1.17 per bulb or 4-foot tube and $2.34 per 8-foot tube, no quantity limit on that business line. ECOWISE price table also lists Compact Fluorescent Lamp (CFL) bulbs at $4.25 per pound and fluorescent tubes at those same per-bulb rates. Confirm the morning you go.

Do retail stores in Montgomery County take CFLs?

County How Do I publishes a compiled retail list for small quantities only. The county says the listing is not a complete directory and is not an endorsement. Hours of acceptance vary by location. Example cap posted for Home Depot #2551 (Silver Spring Broadbirch): max of 3 bulbs and max of 3 tubes. Call the store before you go. Use the live How Do I table — this unofficial page is not a scraped store directory.

Do LCD or LED bulbs go to HHW?

Yes for home: LCD or LED bulbs go to Household Hazardous Waste at Shady Grove at no charge. Business or organization Small Quantity Generators: ECOWISE with the fee schedule.

Who takes fluorescent bulbs in Montgomery County, MD (unofficial)

Hours, fees, and gates change. Confirm on the official page the morning you go. This page is unofficial and not the county. Not a hauler. Holiday names and holiday clock hours: not stated. Sunday gate for HHW: HHW pages say Frederick Road; facility/hours pages close 16101 on Sunday — unreconciled. This page does not pick a winner. County retail list is compiled, not complete, not an endorsement — not a scraped store directory on this page. Broken-bulb notes link EPA cleanup only; not medical advice.

Which kind is it?

CFL, fluorescent tube, or ballast from home?

HHW compound · Recycling Area

Household Hazardous Waste drop-off at Shady Grove. How Do I lights: accepts CFLs, tubes, and ballasts from your home at no additional charge. No quantity limit at HHW. Enter from Route 355 / Frederick Road; Recycling Area; blue chain-link HHW compound. Proof of residency (HHW How Do I). Facility clock: Mon–Sat 7 a.m.–5 p.m.; Sun 9 a.m.–5 p.m. commercial entrance only. Separate HHW-only clock: not stated beyond “Transfer Station hours of operation.”
LCD or LED bulb from home?

HHW · residents · no charge

Same HHW compound. How Do I: LCD or LED bulbs from home → Household Hazardous Waste drop-off at Shady Grove at no charge. Business path is ECOWISE (choice 6), not free resident HHW.
Incandescent or halogen bulb?

Regular trash · not HHW

How Do I: dispose of incandescent and halogen light bulbs in your regular trash collection. Do not haul these to HHW as if they were CFLs.
Broken CFL or fluorescent tube?

EPA cleanup · then double-bag trash

How Do I: CFLs and tubes contain a small amount of mercury; follow US EPA cleanup instructions for broken fluorescent bulbs. Then double-bag the broken CFL or tube in a re-sealable plastic bag and place in household trash. Do not put CFLs or tubes into the recycling bin. Intact unbroken CFLs/tubes still belong at HHW (or a retail drop-off that accepts them) — the trash path above is the county’s broken-bulb disposal line after EPA cleanup. Not medical advice; not a poison-control page.
Prefer a store drop-off for a few CFLs / tubes?

County-compiled retail list · small quantities

How Do I publishes a retail table and says Montgomery County compiled it through various sources: not a complete directory, not an endorsement. Hours of acceptance: vary by location. Cost: no charge (as posted). Community retail: small quantities only. Example cap on the live table: Home Depot #2551 (2300 Broadbirch Dr, Silver Spring) — yes max of 3 bulbs / yes max of 3 tubes. Other rows list bulb-only vs bulb+tube — check the live How Do I before you go; call the store. This unofficial page does not clone that table.
Business / organization / Small Quantity Generator?

ECOWISE · fee · Mon–Fri 8–12

ECOWISE at the same HHW compound. Mon–Fri 8 a.m.–12 p.m. No appointment. Register first. How Do I business line: $1.17 per bulb or 4-foot tube; $2.34 per 8-foot tube; no quantity limit on that line. ECOWISE price table: Fluorescent Tubes 4-ft $1.17 per bulb; 8-ft $2.34 per bulb; Compact Fluorescent Lamp (CFL) bulbs $4.25 per pound (includes container weight). PCB ballasts $2.35/lb on ECOWISE. Pay credit card or business check to Clean Harbors; no cash. Credit-card surcharge not to exceed 3%. Over 220 lb hazardous waste / month or over 2.2 lb acute: not ECOWISE — call 311; destination: not stated.
Live in a municipality (city / town), not unincorporated county?

Ask your municipal office · plus HHW still open

How Do I: contact your local municipal office for additional information regarding CFLs recycling opportunities in your community. County HHW at Shady Grove remains the posted free resident path for home CFLs / tubes / ballasts / LCD·LED. Municipal add-ons: confirm with that office — not inventoried here.
Thinking blue bin, electronics pad, or Poolesville Beauty Spot for bulbs?

Wrong path

How Do I: do not put CFLs or tubes into your recycling bin. Intact mercury lamps belong at HHW (or accepting retail), not the blue bin. Electronics How Do I is for electronics with circuit boards — not a substitute for the lights How Do I. Poolesville Beauty Spot (19200 Jerusalem Road, Saturdays 8 a.m.–4 p.m.) is bulk trash up to 499 lb for residents; it does not accept household hazardous waste.

Where to go

Household Hazardous Waste compound · Recycling Area, Shady Grove

Hours

How Do I HHW: open during the Transfer Station’s hours of operation

Facility: 7 a.m.–5 p.m. Mon–Sat (both gates)

Facility: 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Sunday (Commercial and Truck entrance only)

Lights How Do I lists HHW at 16101 Frederick Rd and phone 240-777-6587. HHW How Do I: Frederick Road / Route 355 entrance for Recycling Area. Facility/hours pages: Sunday use Commercial and Truck entrance only (16055 Shady Grove Road). Unreconciled. This page does not pick a winner. Holiday names and holiday clock hours: not stated. If the Transfer Station is closed for weather, holidays, or emergencies, HHW is also closed (ECOWISE page). Last-checked 5 Sep 2026.

Call 240-777-0311 Map

or 311 · HHW compound line on lights How Do I: 240-777-6587 · Sunday facility gate: 16055 Shady Grove Road (confirm the morning you go)

Household Hazardous Waste compound · bulbs · Shady Grove
Address	Household Hazardous Waste drop-off (blue chain-link compound, large roof), Recycling Area, Shady Grove Processing Facility and Transfer Station. Enter from Route 355 / Frederick Road; stay right for “Recycling.” Posted on lights How Do I: 16101 Frederick Road, Derwood, MD 20855. Sunday facility entrance per hours page: 16055 Shady Grove Road, Gaithersburg, MD 20877 (unreconciled with HHW Frederick Road directions). Last-checked 5 Sep 2026.
Who	Montgomery County residents with home-generated CFLs, tubes, ballasts, and LCD/LED bulbs. Proof of residency required (HHW How Do I). Business / SQG: ECOWISE (card below), not free resident HHW. Live in a municipality? How Do I also says contact your local municipal office for additional CFL options. Last-checked 5 Sep 2026.
What they take	Lights How Do I: CFLs, fluorescent tubes, and ballasts from home; LCD or LED bulbs from home. HHW How Do I accept list also names fluorescent light tubes and bulbs (CFLs) and fluorescent light ballasts. Incandescent / halogen: regular trash — not this pad. Last-checked 5 Sep 2026.
Fee	Residents: no additional charge for home CFLs / tubes / ballasts; LCD/LED from home at no charge (lights How Do I). Last-checked 5 Sep 2026.
Cap	Lights How Do I: Household Hazardous Waste Collection — no quantity limit. If your total HHW load is over 15 gallons liquid or 75 pounds solid, call 311 to arrange drop-off (HHW How Do I) — whether that threshold is per visit or per month: not stated. Last-checked 5 Sep 2026.
Phone	311 or 240-777-0311. Lights How Do I also lists 240-777-6587 on the HHW row. Last-checked 5 Sep 2026.
Last-checked	5 Sep 2026
Source	lights How Do I HHW How Do I hours residency Last-checked 5 Sep 2026.

Address: Household Hazardous Waste drop-off (blue chain-link compound, large roof), Recycling Area, Shady Grove Processing Facility and Transfer Station. Enter from Route 355 / Frederick Road; stay right for “Recycling.” Posted on lights How Do I: 16101 Frederick Road, Derwood, MD 20855. Sunday facility entrance per hours page: 16055 Shady Grove Road, Gaithersburg, MD 20877 (unreconciled with HHW Frederick Road directions). Last-checked 5 Sep 2026.
Who: Montgomery County residents with home-generated CFLs, tubes, ballasts, and LCD/LED bulbs. Proof of residency required (HHW How Do I). Business / SQG: ECOWISE (card below), not free resident HHW. Live in a municipality? How Do I also says contact your local municipal office for additional CFL options. Last-checked 5 Sep 2026.
What they take: Lights How Do I: CFLs, fluorescent tubes, and ballasts from home; LCD or LED bulbs from home. HHW How Do I accept list also names fluorescent light tubes and bulbs (CFLs) and fluorescent light ballasts. Incandescent / halogen: regular trash — not this pad. Last-checked 5 Sep 2026.
Fee: Residents: no additional charge for home CFLs / tubes / ballasts; LCD/LED from home at no charge (lights How Do I). Last-checked 5 Sep 2026.
Cap: Lights How Do I: Household Hazardous Waste Collection — no quantity limit. If your total HHW load is over 15 gallons liquid or 75 pounds solid, call 311 to arrange drop-off (HHW How Do I) — whether that threshold is per visit or per month: not stated. Last-checked 5 Sep 2026.
Phone: 311 or 240-777-0311. Lights How Do I also lists 240-777-6587 on the HHW row. Last-checked 5 Sep 2026.
Last-checked: 5 Sep 2026
Source: lights How Do I HHW How Do I hours residency Last-checked 5 Sep 2026.

Retail / community drop-offs · county-compiled list (link out)

Hours

Vary by location — not county hours

Lights How Do I: “Hours of acceptance: vary by location.” County disclaimer: compiled through various sources; not a complete directory; not an endorsement. This card is a link out — no full store clone on this unofficial page. Last-checked 5 Sep 2026.

Lights How Do I table 311

Call the retailer before you go. Example cap posted on the county table: Home Depot #2551 — max 3 bulbs / max 3 tubes.

Retail CFL / tube drop-offs · county How Do I list
Address	Participating community / retail sites listed on the county lights How Do I — use that live table. This unofficial page does not reproduce the full street list (do not scrape; do not treat us as the directory). Last-checked 5 Sep 2026.
Who	Public retail / community drop-off per each site’s rules. County: small quantities only at community retail locations. Last-checked 5 Sep 2026.
What they take	Varies by row on the How Do I table (bulb-style vs tube-style columns). Example: Home Depot #2551 accepts both with max of 3 bulbs and max of 3 tubes. Other listed sites may accept bulbs only. Confirm on the live table and with the store. Last-checked 5 Sep 2026.
Fee	How Do I: Cost: no charge (as posted for these community locations). Last-checked 5 Sep 2026.
Cap	Community drop-off locations at retail stores: small quantities only. Home Depot #2551 posted max: 3 bulbs / 3 tubes. Caps at other listed stores: not stated beyond the bulb/tube yes-no columns on How Do I — ask the store. Last-checked 5 Sep 2026.
Phone	County: 311 or 240-777-0311. Store phones: on the live How Do I table — call before you go. Last-checked 5 Sep 2026.
Last-checked	5 Sep 2026
Source	lights How Do I Last-checked 5 Sep 2026.

Address: Participating community / retail sites listed on the county lights How Do I — use that live table. This unofficial page does not reproduce the full street list (do not scrape; do not treat us as the directory). Last-checked 5 Sep 2026.
Who: Public retail / community drop-off per each site’s rules. County: small quantities only at community retail locations. Last-checked 5 Sep 2026.
What they take: Varies by row on the How Do I table (bulb-style vs tube-style columns). Example: Home Depot #2551 accepts both with max of 3 bulbs and max of 3 tubes. Other listed sites may accept bulbs only. Confirm on the live table and with the store. Last-checked 5 Sep 2026.
Fee: How Do I: Cost: no charge (as posted for these community locations). Last-checked 5 Sep 2026.
Cap: Community drop-off locations at retail stores: small quantities only. Home Depot #2551 posted max: 3 bulbs / 3 tubes. Caps at other listed stores: not stated beyond the bulb/tube yes-no columns on How Do I — ask the store. Last-checked 5 Sep 2026.
Phone: County: 311 or 240-777-0311. Store phones: on the live How Do I table — call before you go. Last-checked 5 Sep 2026.
Last-checked: 5 Sep 2026
Source: lights How Do I Last-checked 5 Sep 2026.

ECOWISE · fee-based business / SQG lamps (same HHW compound)

Hours

Monday–Friday 8 a.m.–12 p.m.

No appointment

Same HHW compound. Enter via Frederick Road (MD-355). If the Transfer Station is closed due to weather, holidays, or emergencies, HHW/ECOWISE is also closed. Last-checked 5 Sep 2026.

Call 240-777-6587 ECOWISE

ECOWISE · business fluorescent / CFL / LED drop-off
Address	Same HHW compound, Shady Grove Processing Facility and Transfer Station, 16101 Frederick Road, Derwood, MD 20855. Enter via Frederick Road (MD-355). Last-checked 5 Sep 2026.
Who	Montgomery County businesses / Small Quantity Generators under 220 lb hazardous waste per calendar month and under 2.2 lb acute hazardous waste per month. Register before you go. Lights How Do I: CFLs, tubes, ballasts from business; LCD/LED from business or organization (SQG only). Last-checked 5 Sep 2026.
What they take	ECOWISE accept list includes fluorescent bulbs and PCB ballasts (among other hazmat). Lights How Do I routes business CFLs / tubes / ballasts and LCD/LED here. Last-checked 5 Sep 2026.
Fee	Lights How Do I business line: $1.17 per bulb or 4-foot tube; $2.34 per 8-foot tube. ECOWISE table: Fluorescent Tubes — 4-feet $1.17 per bulb; 8-feet $2.34 per bulb; Compact Fluorescent Lamp (CFL) bulbs $4.25 per pound (includes container weight); PCB ballasts $2.35/lb. Credit card or business check to Clean Harbors; no cash. Credit-card surcharge not to exceed 3%. LED business fee line if not on those rows: call 240-777-6587 — not stated as a separate LED line on the posted ECOWISE table. Last-checked 5 Sep 2026.
Cap	Lights How Do I business line: no quantity limit. ECOWISE: businesses cannot bring more than 220 pounds of hazardous waste. Last-checked 5 Sep 2026.
Phone	Pricing / unlisted chemicals: 240-777-6587. County: 311 or 240-777-0311. Last-checked 5 Sep 2026.
Last-checked	5 Sep 2026
Source	ECOWISE lights How Do I Last-checked 5 Sep 2026.

Address: Same HHW compound, Shady Grove Processing Facility and Transfer Station, 16101 Frederick Road, Derwood, MD 20855. Enter via Frederick Road (MD-355). Last-checked 5 Sep 2026.
Who: Montgomery County businesses / Small Quantity Generators under 220 lb hazardous waste per calendar month and under 2.2 lb acute hazardous waste per month. Register before you go. Lights How Do I: CFLs, tubes, ballasts from business; LCD/LED from business or organization (SQG only). Last-checked 5 Sep 2026.
What they take: ECOWISE accept list includes fluorescent bulbs and PCB ballasts (among other hazmat). Lights How Do I routes business CFLs / tubes / ballasts and LCD/LED here. Last-checked 5 Sep 2026.
Fee: Lights How Do I business line: $1.17 per bulb or 4-foot tube; $2.34 per 8-foot tube. ECOWISE table: Fluorescent Tubes — 4-feet $1.17 per bulb; 8-feet $2.34 per bulb; Compact Fluorescent Lamp (CFL) bulbs $4.25 per pound (includes container weight); PCB ballasts $2.35/lb. Credit card or business check to Clean Harbors; no cash. Credit-card surcharge not to exceed 3%. LED business fee line if not on those rows: call 240-777-6587 — not stated as a separate LED line on the posted ECOWISE table. Last-checked 5 Sep 2026.
Cap: Lights How Do I business line: no quantity limit. ECOWISE: businesses cannot bring more than 220 pounds of hazardous waste. Last-checked 5 Sep 2026.
Phone: Pricing / unlisted chemicals: 240-777-6587. County: 311 or 240-777-0311. Last-checked 5 Sep 2026.
Last-checked: 5 Sep 2026
Source: ECOWISE lights How Do I Last-checked 5 Sep 2026.

Broken CFL / tube: follow US EPA — Cleaning Up a Broken CFL, then county How Do I: double-bag in a re-sealable plastic bag → household trash. Not the blue bin. Not medical advice. Last-checked 5 Sep 2026.

Unreconciled Sunday: HHW / lights pages put drop-off in the Recycling Area via Frederick Road; facility/hours pages say Sunday use the Commercial and Truck entrance only (16055 Shady Grove Road, 9 a.m.–5 p.m.). This page does not pick a winner. Confirm the morning you go. Last-checked 5 Sep 2026.

Poolesville Beauty Spot (19200 Jerusalem Road, Saturdays 8 a.m.–4 p.m.) is bulk trash up to 499 lb for residents. It is not a bulb / HHW drop-off. Last-checked 5 Sep 2026.

Bring this

Proof of residency (residential HHW): Maryland license or photo ID with a Montgomery County address; a current utility bill with a physical MoCo address and your name; or a mortgage statement / lease in your name for a physical MoCo address. Out-of-county plates still need one of those. Proof of County Residency.
Intact CFLs, tubes, ballasts, and/or LCD·LED lamps — keep unbroken lamps whole for HHW or retail drop-off.
For a broken CFL/tube: after EPA cleanup, re-sealable plastic bags for double-bagging before household trash.
Covered load if you self-haul (hours page). PPE (high-vis vest, hard hat, closed-toe shoes) is required on the main tipping floor, not described as required for Recycling Area HHW hand-offs.

Not here

Intact CFLs / tubes in the blue recycling bin (How Do I: do not put CFLs or tubes into your recycling bin).
Incandescent / halogen hauled to HHW as if they were mercury lamps (How Do I: regular trash).
Broken CFL cleanup as medical / poison-control advice on this page (link EPA; not YMYL treatment).
Poolesville Beauty Spot as a bulb destination.
A scraped or complete retail store directory on this unofficial page (county list is compiled, incomplete, not an endorsement — use the live How Do I).
Invented retail hours (county: vary by location).
Business free HHW for lamps (ECOWISE fee path).
Medical sharps / meds pages (YMYL — not this site).

Official sources

How Do I — light bulbs and tubes (CFL/tube/ballast HHW; LCD/LED; incandescent/halogen trash; broken double-bag; retail table disclaimer; ECOWISE business fees)
How Do I — household hazardous waste (accept list includes fluorescent tubes/bulbs/CFLs and ballasts; 15 gal / 75 lb call-ahead; residency; Transfer Station hours)
ECOWISE (Mon–Fri 8 a.m.–12 p.m.; tube per-bulb and CFL $/lb table; PCB ballasts)
US EPA — Cleaning Up a Broken CFL (cleanup steps the county points to)
Trash and Recycling Drop-Off Hours and Events
Shady Grove Processing Facility and Transfer Station
Proof of County Residency
Poolesville Beauty Spot (bulk trash only — not bulbs / HHW)