Thermostats - Mercury

A thermostat is an electronic switch that regulates indoor temperature. Some thermostats contain mercury; others do not.

To determine whether you have a mercury thermostat, remove the cover and look inside for one or more glass bulbs with a silvery liquid (mercury). If it has one or more sealed glass bulbs, it contains mercury. Replace the cover to prevent any bulbs from breaking.

Do not put mercury in the garbage or pour it down the drain, in the sewer, or on the ground. If you no longer want an item with mercury in your home, do not throw it in the garbage. In Minnesota, it is illegal to put a mercury thermostat in the garbage (Minnesota Statutes § 115A.932). Take to Anoka County Household Hazardous Waste Facility.

If a mercury bulb in a thermostat breaks, do not put it in the garbage. For what to do next, call Anoka County Recycling & Resource Solutions at 763-324-3400, Mon – Fri, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. or select "Cleaning up Spilled Mercury in the Home" from Fact sheets and how-to guides on the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency website.

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