Lighting With A Twist is Back, Adds A Twist to CFL Recycling (Estes Park)

Successful program goes year-round and offers free, safe CFL recycling

ESTES PARK, COLO -- Platte River Power Authority and Estes Park Light & Power have brought back last year's successful Lighting With A Twist with a couple of new twists. Customers of Light & Power can now save money year-round.

The second twist this year is that Platte River has teamed up with Ace Hardware of Estes Park and Mercury Technologies to provide a free, safe location to recycle old or broken compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs).

Last year, from September 15 through December 15, Platte River and Light & Power teamed up to provide customers of Ace Hardware of Estes Park and Estes True Value & Radio Shack money off at the cash register when purchasing energy-saving CFLs. The 3,000-plus bulbs that were purchased over the three months will save approximately 61,000 kWh (kilowatt-hours) annually--enough electricity to power about eight Estes Park homes for a year and save 43 tons of carbon dioxide annually.

"We have gone to a year-round offer based on the success of last year's efforts," said Adam Perry, energy services specialist at Platte River. "Our in-store educational events were popular and we will be having more of them during the year."

Results of a survey conducted by Platte River show that the percentage of area residents who have heard of CFLs increased from 78 percent to 90 percent as a result last fall's Lighting With a Twist campaign, and the average number of CFLs installed in a home increased from seven to 10. According to survey respondents, the top three reasons for purchasing CFLs were to save/conserve energy, to reduce electricity bills and to take advantage of their longer life.

"Lighting With A Twist is a great program for Light & Power customers. With the new twist this year on CFL recycling, we have taken a great program and made it extraordinary," said Mike Mangelsen, assistant general manager of Estes Park Light & Power.

A partnership between Platte River, Ace Hardware of Estes Park, Mercury Technologies and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment now provides Estes Park residents a safe location where they can recycle used and broken CFLs without charge. Compact fluorescent light bulbs use up to 75 percent less energy and last up to 10 times longer than typical incandescent light bulbs. However, CFLs contain a small amount of mercury -- about as much as the period at the end of this sentence -- that must be recycled appropriately.

According to Mercury Technologies, the recycling company contracted to handle the spent bulbs, their no landfill policy means they recycle each piece of the CFL, including the glass, mercury, metal, circuit board, plastic, and lead.

Special prices on CFLs are valid only while supplies last at your local Ace Hardware of Estes Park and Estes True Value & Radio Shack. Product selection, pricing and purchase limits vary from store to store. The recycling and lighting offers are funded by Platte River and similar programs can also be found through Fort Collins Utilities, Longmont Power & Communications and Loveland Water & Power.

More information can be found at www.lightingwithatwist.com

About Platte River Power Authority
Platte River generates and delivers reliable, low-cost and environmentally responsible electricity to its owner communities of Estes Park, Fort Collins, Longmont and Loveland, Colorado, where it is distributed by each municipal utility to residents and businesses. For more information, please visit, www.prpa.org.


Sidebar 1:
Discounted prices on CFLs at these participating retailers
• Ace Hardware of Estes Park
• Estes True Value & Radio Shack
Recycling location
• Ace Hardware of Estes Park

Sidebar 2:
How to clean up a broken CFL

   1. gently sweep up pieces
2. put into a sealable plastic bag
3. take to an approved disposal site

View more news releases