MERCURY THERMOSTATS

I understand many home thermostats contain mercury?

You?re right. Thermostats are commonly found in most homes and are also used for commercial applications as a means of regulating room temperature. The photo at the right shows common thermostats and the glass ampoule under the cover, which contains the mercury. Mercury thermostats SHOULD NOT BE DISPOSED OF IN THE REGULAR TRASH.

How do I tell whether my thermostat contains mercury?

To determine if your thermostat contains a mercury switch, remove the front cover. Once the cover is removed you should be able to locate one or more glass ampoules (switches) that contain a silver liquid (mercury). The photograph above shows the glass ampoule, which contains mercury.

Are there other thermostats available which do not contain mercury?

Yes, electronic thermostats, which are mercury-free, are available. The best alternative is to use what are called programmable thermostats. These thermostats can be programmed to keep the temperature of a house a certain level depending on the time of day and the season. Programmable thermostats are encouraged for energy savings.

How do I recycle the mercury thermostat in my home?

Households may utilize the following recycling opportunities Internal for thermostat recycling. Mercury-containing thermostats are also accepted locally at:

• RSD?Total Control, 1833 East Main Street, Visalia, Telephone (559) 636-2101 RSD-Total Control is a member of the Thermostat Recycling Corporation (TRC) collection program. Under this voluntary, industry-sponsored effort, plumbing, heating and electrical contractors drop off old mercury switch thermostats at participating wholesalers, regardless of brand. Wholesalers collect these discarded mercury thermostats in protective boxes supplied by TRC. The wholesaler then ships the collected thermostats to a TRC recycling center. Once at the TRC recycling center, the mercury ampoules contained in the thermostats are removed and sent to a mercury recycler. For further information refer to the Thermostat Recycling Corporation Contractor Flier and Wholesaler Questions & Answers.

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What if I have business or institutional thermostats that need recycling?

Only Conditionally Exempt Small Quantity Universal Waste Generators (CESQUWGs) are eligible to utilize the following recycling opportunities Internal. A CESQUWG is a generator who:

• Disposes of less than 1 kilogram of RCRA acutely hazardous waste, or a combined total of 100 kilograms or less of universal and RCRA hazardous waste, in any calendar month; and
• Generates no more than 5 Cathode Ray Tube Devices in a calendar year. Businesses and Institutions that exceed the CESQUWG thresholds must send their universal wastes to other universal waste handlers or destination facilities in accordance with the following requirements (22 CCR 66273.18 or 66273.38, as appropriate):
• Comply with applicable Department Of Transportation requirements for labeling, marking, placarding, and shipping papers; and
• Follow requirements for rejected shipments.

A list of businesses specializing in universal waste recycling services may be found at www.almr.org/membersprintable.pdf.

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