It means its possible, it doesn't mean that the owner could do it. It would be good PR on phillip's part to include a postage paid mailing label that would let you recycle dead bulbs. They could recover most of it and save both e-waste and the energy cost of casting a new heatsink.
The energy cost of individually mailing a heavy bulb is greater than the energy cost of casting a heatsink.
Centralized recycling might work, but not a postage paid mailer. Plus who is going to successfully store a mailer for 10 years while waiting for the bulb to burn out.
And in 10 years they won't want this bulb back, there won't be anything reusable in it. Just recycle it for the metal.
Storing the mailer isn't a big problem. When I buy a new bulb, I'll get a new mailer. I toss the first round. I don't disagree with you on the energy cost though.
