Illinois kicks off mercury thermostat collection

Building on Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich's efforts to reduce mercury emissions and protect the public health, Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) Director Doug Scott announced a new initiative to expand the collection and recycling of climate control thermostats that contain mercury switches. Mercury is a highly toxic heavy metal that can cause permanent brain damage, autism, deafness and blindness as well as reduce IQs and slow motor functions.  Recent studies indicate that as many as 10 percent of babies born each year in the United States are exposed to excessive mercury levels in the womb. 

 

The new collection initiative will expand the availability of current recycling opportunities for mercury thermostats.  Long-term household hazardous waste collection sites in both Rockford and Naperville have agreed to collect and recycle mercury thermostats through an industry take-back program.  This will provide two drop-off locations in Northern Illinois for homeowners or "do-it-yourselfers" that purchase replacement thermostats. 

 

"Illinois is already a leader in taking steps to reduce mercury, and this new recycling program is another way we can help make homes safer and communities cleaner for our children," said Governor Blagojevich.  

 

The Product Stewardship Institute, Inc. (PSI), a national organization that seeks to reduce environmental impacts from consumer product and the Thermostat Recycling Corp. (TRC), a non-profit entity created by Honeywell, White-Rodgers and General Electric, will administer the five-state pilot project.  The pilot will run through the end of the year in Illinois, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Washington State, and Florida.

 

"This partnership with the thermostat manufacturing industry is another important part of a multi-faceted initiative by Gov. Blagojevich and IEPA that leads the nation in reducing the hazards of exposure to potentially-harmful mercury in our environment," said IEPA Director Doug Scott.

 

Until now, the take-back program has only been available to thermostat wholesalers.  Heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) contractors can drop off mercury thermostats at participating wholesaler locations when they purchase new thermostats or other supplies.  The new initiative will allow homeowners to recycle thermostats that they replace on their own by taking them to a long-term household hazardous waste facility. TRC will provide the containers and pay for shipping costs to a commercial mercury recovery facility.

 

"Illinois has shown great initiative by stepping forward on this pilot and adding another element in its comprehensive approach to reducing mercury emissions," said Scott Cassel, Executive Director of the Product Stewardship Institute, Inc.

 

The Illinois EPA estimates that somewhere between 88,000 and 132,000 mercury thermostats are disposed of annually in Illinois.  Forty-four (44) thermostat wholesale stores are participating in the industry take-back program.  In 2004, these wholesalers collected over 5,000 mercury thermostats for recycling throughout the state.

 

The typical mercury thermostat contains 3 grams of mercury that can be released into the environment if the thermostat is broken or disposed of improperly.   The mercury is used as a component of a mechanical tilt switch, which activates the heating and cooling equipment connected to the thermostat.   The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has estimated that 63 million mercury-containing thermostats are in use within the United States, containing approximately 230 tons of mercury.

 

Mercury is a potent neurotoxin capable of impairing childhood development when pregnant women or young children are exposed to the metal.  Without proper management, mercury may be released into the environment at the end of a thermostat's useful life during waste handling or disposal.  Waste compaction in a garbage truck, at a transfer station, or at a landfill could easily lead to breakage of the glass tube in the switch, allowing the mercury to be released into the air. 

 

Since coming into office, Gov. Blagojevich has demonstrated his continued commitment to reducing mercury in the environment:

 

o       In April, Gov. Blagojevich signed into law mercury switch legislation, which creates a statewide program for collecting and removing mercury-containing switches from retired vehicles before they are processed as scrap metal and emitted into the environment.  The new law requires automakers to create mercury switch collection programs, offering storage containers to auto recyclers and dismantlers, and arranging for transportation of the removed switches.

 

o       In January 2006, Gov. Blagojevich announced his proposal to aggressively cut mercury emissions from Illinois power plants by 90 percent by mid 2009.  These state standards will go far beyond the federal Clean Air Mercury Rule (CAMR) restrictions adopted last spring and would make Illinois a national leader in efforts to reduce toxic emissions into the environment.  The proposed rules were filed March 14^th with the Illinois Pollution Control Board.