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Steamboat Springs — Local recycling advocates say Routt County is now a little friendlier to the environment thanks to the Bulb Eater.

The machine at Light Works of Steamboat made quick work of more than 150 fluorescent tubes dropped off Tuesday by the city of Steamboat Springs.

“I feel like we’re doing our part to help make a difference,” Light Works owner Nancy Schwanke said.

With the Bulb Eater, used bulbs can be crushed and then shipped to a plant where their components can be recycled. More important, Schwanke said, is that the mercury contained in fluorescent bulbs is kept out of landfills.

Recycling with the Bulb Eater machine is being offered for free to residential users, who can bring in up to four bulbs at a time. Businesses are charged a nominal fee based on the types of bulbs they recycle. For example, the city was charged about $50 for the 150 bulbs of various sizes that it brought in Tuesday.

The machine was purchased by Yampa Valley Recycles for about $3,500. Yampa Valley Recycles administrator Emilie Rogers said the organization was awarded a $2,000 grant from Yampa Valley Electric Association, a $1,000 grant from Point6 and a $500 grant from the McEvoy Share Plan fund of the Yampa Valley Community Foundation.

Rogers said the grant money allowed the nonprofit organization to purchase the machine and then sell it to Light Works for $1. In exchange, Light Works will collect the bulbs, crush them and pay for the recycling.

“We’re hoping to break even on it just to provide the service,” Schwanke said.

She said the service is available to anyone in Northwest Colorado, and there is a demand for the service, especially during the initial year when each bulb will be counted.

“My guess is it could be 10,000 bulbs really easily,” Schwanke said.

The Bulb Eater uses a charcoal and Hipa filter during the crushing process. It can crush 1,350 4-foot bulbs or 3,000 compact fluorescent bulbs before the 55-gallon barrel has to be switched.

She said the crushed bulbs will end up at a recycling plant in Phoenix. The glass occasionally is used to build roads. The aluminum ends are recycled, in addition to the mercury.

“There are a lot of bulbs in this county, and now they can all successfully and safely be disposed,” Rogers said. “Many thanks from Yampa Valley Recycles to Light Works for taking over the unit. We’re grateful that they’ll be able to take it on.”

Light bulbs can be dropped off only during business hours at Light Works, which is located in the Loggers Lane business center on the west side of town. It is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays and from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays. Commercial users must call 970-879-3905 to schedule a drop-off time.

The cost to commercial customers depends on the size and type of bulbs being recycled. Schwanke said using the Bulb Eater is cheaper than if the commercial customers choose to ship the bulbs for recycling on their own.

Schwanke said charging commercial customers allows Light Works to cover the cost of the recycling program. She said it costs $175 to ship a full barrel and another $345 to process it.

To reach Matt Stensland, call 970-871-4247 or email mstensland@SteamboatToday.com.