What is the proper way to dispose of old tubes?

For barium info see:
http://www.epa.gov/ogwdw000/contaminants/dw_contamfs/barium.html

The official disposal of barium containing vacuum tubes would be similar to the handling for cathode ray tubes (CRTs). CRTs can contain quite a bit of lead (from shielding) which audio vacuum tubes do not contain.

Here are current EPA rules:

http://electronics.ihs.com/news/2008/epa-amends-crt-recycling.htm?wbc_purpose=basic&WBCMODE=p%2Cp%2Cp%2Cp%2Cp%2C

You will note that households are exempt from federal rules, even with all their lead content. Note that individual states (or other countries) may have different rules.

Where I live, there are special garbage depots in the city where items containing toxic wastes can be dropped off rather than simply disposed of in the regular garbage. Does your city use recylcing boxes and have recycling pick-up along with regular garbage? If so, the information on garbage pick up at your city's website would contain information as to how to dispose of household items like batteries, CFL lightbulbs, etc.

Jimjoyce and everyone else,
I would love to have your old tubes as long as they are not cracked. If you'd like to send them to me, please email me for my address.
Thanks!

Crazy former Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Tim Rossovitch used to eat light bulbs and other forms of glass http://www.badfads.com/pages/events/glasseating.html He'd probably be a good way to dispose of old tubes.

For what it's worth, he used to also drink down quarts of motor oil, in case the subject of how to dispose of your engine fluids comes up...

Sell them on ebay.