Thermostats

Problem: Why Be Concerned About Mercury Thermostats?

Mercury thermostats can be a major source of mercury contamination in the environment. Each mercury thermostat contains approximately 3 grams of mercury. Traditionally, they were incinerated or landfilled, allowing mercury to be released into the environment. Mercury is a toxic liquid metal which can vaporize and come back to the land and water through rain. It is especially dangerous because it does not break down and “bio-accumulates” in the tissues of fish, which are then consumed by people. Mercury thermostats were widely used in California prior to 1992 and were legal to buy until 2006.

— Source: Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Remediation and Waste Management, State of Maine

Solution:

California has a product stewardship program for mercury thermostats!

Thanks to co-sponsors CPSC and California Sierra Club, AB 2347, the Mercury Thermostat Recycling Act of 2008 became law and established recycling requirements for mercury thermostats to ensure they’re properly disposed. The not-for-profit Thermostat Recycling Corporation (TRC) was formed to comply with these new requirements and has developed a convenient take-back program for mercury thermostats. Under this law,heating and air conditioning (HVAC) wholesalers are required to accept mercury thermostats from the public free-of-charge and contractors who remove mercury thermostats are legally required to recycle them. Local household hazardous waste programs can participate, too.

Become a Collection Point Now

California HVAC Wholesalers are required to collect mercury thermostats. Contractors are also legally required to recycle mercury thermostats.Household Hazardous Waste programs and retailers can participate, too. It’s easy to get started; just download the appropriate sign up form, below:

• Heating and Air Conditioning (HVAC) Wholesale Distributors: Any wholesaler of heating, air conditioning, electrical, or plumbing products and accessories, having an established place of business in the United States and selling to dealer-contractors for resale. To enroll, submit this form.
  
  
• Contractors: Any independent business that services/maintains heating, air conditioning, electrical or plumbing systems that has seven (7) or more service technicians or services a rural area (the primary place of business is located in a county outside a metropolitan statistical area). To enroll, submit this form.
  
  
• Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Collection Sites: Any approved municipal/county HHW, waste, solid waste or universal waste location. To enroll, submit this form.
  
  
• Retail: Any business establishment that directly sells residential controls (thermostats) to consumers. To enroll, submit this form.

More Information

• FAQs about TRC's take-back program

• For more information on the TRC take-back program, visit the TRC web site or call their toll-free info line 1-800-238-8192.
  

• For questions on regulatory requirements, email DTSC or call 800-72-TOXIC
  (800-728-6942).
  

• For questions on enforcement, email DTSC or call (916) 322-7527.

• For local governments wishing to make a complaint against a wholesaler for violations of the collection requirement, use the DTSC's complaint referral form to notify the appropriate enforcement staff.

 

News & Events

• San Luis Obispo County passed a mandatory thermostat retail take back. The county adopted the resolution after their finding the implementation of AB 2347 by the Thermostat Recycling Corporation to be slow, citing low recovery rates (less than two percent based on the Skumatz study) and no retailers in the county signing up to be drop off locations.

  San Luis Obispo County’s Ordinance No. 2010-1 establishing an out-of-service mercury-added thermostat management program. 11/10/10

  
  
• CPSC’s Mercury Thermostat Collection Webinar 12/16/09
  In case you couldn’t join us for the webinar, you can still have access to the important information shared by our webinar presenters. Here are links to the Powerpoint presentations given by Neena Sahasrabude with the California Department of Toxic Substance Control (DTSC) and Mark Tibbetts with the Thermostat Recycling Corporation (TRC).
  
  

  • California Department of Toxic Substance Control Presentation

  • Thermostat Recycling Corporation Presentation

  • CPSC provides a model letter to HVAC Wholesalers from local governments, explaining their responsibilities and how to sign up for a collection bin.
    Model Letter to HVAC Wholesalers from Local Government

• CA Mercury Thermostat Law Now in Effect —Thermostat Recycling Corporation Press Release 7/8/09

• CA Thermostat Law Takes Effect July 1st 7/1/09

• Manufacturers Implement Mercury Thermostat Recycling Program in CA —Thermostat Recycling Corp. 6/18/09
  

• Assemblyman Ruskin holds press conference for signing of historic producer responsibility law,
  AB 2347. Thanks to all the hard work of CPSC and our Partners, AB 2347 was signed by the Governor on September 29, 2008.

AB 2347 press conference at the Palo Alto Water Treatment Facility, October 20, 2008

Left to right: Barbara Spector, Mayor of Los Gatos; Rick Brauch, Dept. of Toxic Substances Control; Heidi Sanborn, CPSC; Ira Ruskin, Assemblymember and Author of AB 2347; Bill Magavern, Sierra Club California; Pat Foster, Mayor of East Palo Alto; Larry Klein, Mayor of Palo Alto; Samantha Omey, Honeywell

Policy & Legislation

California

• AB 2347 - Mercury Thermostat Collection Act of 2008, Approved 9/29/08
  
  AB 2347 is California's first producer responsibility legislation. This bill established a shared responsibility program for mercury thermostat recycling and provided fiscal relief for cash-strapped local governments. The bill took an extended producer responsibility approach for establishing thermostat recycling programs, allows consumers and contractors to return waste thermostats to retail locations that sell new ones, and requires thermostat producers to fund the recycling program.
  See 2008 State Legislation for more.
  
  
  • Draft Regulations from DTSC 6/2011
  • CPSC Comment Letter 6/29/11
    

Elsewhere

• Maine Thermostat Law 2006
• Pennsylvania Mercury Thermostat Law Signed by Governor 10/9/08

Links

• Thermostat Recycling Corporation

• DTSC Mercury Thermostat Page