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Thermostat Recycling
Ever wonder what happens to all the mercury in
older mechanical thermostats once they've been replaced or discarded?
Hopefully they make their way to a safe recycling facility. You can do your
part by bringing old thermostats intact to Johnstone Supply and they'll be
recycled by the Thermostat Recycling Corporation (TRC).
Frequently Asked Questions:
1. How are the thermostats collected?
Contractors will collect out-of-service mercury
thermostats through their normal business and drop them off periodically into
the collection box at Johnstone Supply.
2. What thermostats are included?
The program will accept all brands of
wall-mounted thermostats containing mercury.
3. What about other mercury-containing
products?
This program is only for wall-mounted mercury
switch thermostats. Do NOT return batteries, fluorescent lamps, or any other
controls containing mercury. Contact your local waste management authorities
for the proper disposal of these items.
4. What about loose mercury bulbs, liquid
mercury, or thermostats that are leaking mercury?
These are not acceptable. It is important to
return the entire thermostat since it provides the protection for the mercury
bulb during shipment. Contact your local waste management authorities for
proper disposal of these items.
5. What if an individual homeowner has an old
thermostat?
The HVAC industry would like to see all
out-of-service wall-mounted thermostats recycled. Johnstone Supply will
accept thermostats for recycling from homeowners.
6. Will there be any paperwork involved?
No, there is none for the contractor bringing the thermostats.
7. Will this program cost anything?
The shipping costs from Johnstone Supply to the TRC and mercury recycling
costs will be paid by the TRC. There is no fee to the contractor.
8. What happens to the old thermostats?
The mercury switches will be removed from the
returned thermostats. Those switches will be sent to another company that
will remove and purify the mercury for reuse.
9. How does this recycling program affect the
thermostats sent in under warranty?
The recycling program and warranty program are
entirely separate programs. There will be no change to any manufacturer's
warranty program. Do not place warranty-return thermostats in the recycling
collection container. You will not receive warranty credit if you do. Follow
each manufacturer's current warranty policy.
10. Has the program been successful?
"The Thermostat Recycling Corporation (TRC) has announced (in August 2003) that it has recovered 1,947 pounds of mercury from 221,000 used mercury-switch thermostats returned by heating, ventilation and air conditioning contractors since it began operating in January 1998."*
11. What is the TRC?
"The Thermostat Recycling Corporation (TRC), a
not-for-profit corporation owned by three NEMA member companies, facilitates
the collection by HVAC wholesalers from contractors of all brands of used,
wall-mounted mercury-switch thermostats so that the mercury can be purified
for re-use."* The companies are Honeywell, White-Rodgers, and General
Electric.
12. Where can I learn more?
*denotes data sourced from the web-link
above.
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