• When you buy CFLs or fluorescent tubes, you may see an eco-fee on your receipt, passed on to you by the product producers. This is similar to paint, tires and electronics. The eco-fee funds the recycling program so there is no charge when you drop off your used bulbs and tubes.
• This is not a tax and none of the money goes to the government.  The money collected helps to fund the program to ensure that potentially hazardous products are diverted from landfills and processed for reuse or recycling. 
• Producer’s have the option to either absorb the cost internally or pass the fees down the line to their retail customers. 
• Retailers are also given the choice whether to show this fee on consumer receipts.  In some stores you may see the words eco-fee, environmental handling fee, or recycling fee on your receipt.