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February 21, 2008
Disposing of Old Thermostat w Mercury
We replaced our old thermostat with a new, more efficient digital one. There is mercury in the old one and I want to be sure we dispose of it properly. Anyone know what to do?
Comments
In the back it should have an 800 number, call and ask.
Posted by: guest at February 21, 2008 10:13 AM
some people are just plain clueless
Posted by: guest at February 21, 2008 10:26 AM
I think many old thermostats actually pre-date 800 numbers. The Honeywell thermostat I replaced a couple of years ago certainly didn't have any phone number on it. I think this isa very good question.
Posted by: Bob Marvin at February 21, 2008 10:32 AM
I just read something about this... you have to bring it to a city landfill or drop-off place - the same place you take paint. I'm sure googling or going to the city/sanitation web site will tell you.
Posted by: guest at February 21, 2008 10:44 AM
Take a look at the following website - http://earth911.org/mercury
It gives a couple of good options.
Posted by: guest at February 21, 2008 11:34 AM
Just throw the freakin thing in the trash can . Nuff said !
Posted by: guest at February 21, 2008 4:31 PM
Any decent metal recycling center should take it if it looks silvery and not red. It's about worth about $600 per standard flask. They won't pay you anything for the amount in a few thermometers, but at least it will go to good use rather than polluting the environment.
You can also bring up to two thermometers at a time to one of the city's special waste collection depots:
http://home2.nyc.gov/html/nycwasteless/html/at_home/special_waste.shtml
Dumping these in the trash is, as you know, a bad thing. Despite the sophisticated containment in modern dumps, Mercury is difficult to contain because of the very physical properties which make it so valuable. Also, these old thermometers contain a LOT more mercury your batteries and CFLs.
Posted by: guest at February 24, 2008 5:04 PM
Apartment therapy recently covered this topic in detail. You can find it with a quick search on their site.
Posted by: guest at February 25, 2008 2:11 PM
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