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Mercury switches are often installed on the ends of bimetal-coil thermostats. As the coil expands or contracts, it will tilt the mercury switch, turning the heating and cooling system on and off, as needed. Albert Butz (1849–1905) invented the thermostat in around 1885.
Non-electronic thermostats often contain mercury. Circular gauge-type thermostats and rectangular models with lever-type adjustments often have mercury switches inside. Carefully lifting off the cover will reveal a glass ampoule of mercury.
Broken thermostats can cause dangerous and costly cleanups. Building fires vaporize mercury, introducing it to the atmosphere. Heat vaporizes metallic mercury thoroughly. The mercury released this way is deposited on land and water where it can become methylmercury and enter the food chain. More information on this process is available in the section on Mercury and Its Compounds.
The Mercury Education and Reduction Act (MERA) banned all mercury-containing thermostats that are not made by companies participating in a recognized recovery/recycling program.
The Thermostat Recycling Corporation (TRC), a non-profit subsidiary of the National Electrical Manufacturers' Association, has sponsored thermostat recycling in Washington state since 2003.Mercury-containing Thermostats Recycled is a page showing the number of thermostats collected through the TRC bin program and the pounds of mercury represented.
Residents of Washington state call 1-800-RECYCLE or click the link for locations.
Thermostat Recycling Corporation part of the National Electrical Manufacturing Association, coordinates industry take-back program
Mercury Use in Thermostats fact sheet from Interstate Mercury Education & Reduction Clearinghouse (IMERC)
Copyright © Washington State Department of Ecology. See http://www.ecy.wa.gov/copyright.html.
