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About Recycle Your Mercury Thermostat Day
Real Estate , United States
Ends: Oct 24, 2023
DESCRIPTION:
Saving the World One Thermostat at a Time – the hows and whys of thermostat recycling by Ryan L. Kiscaden
(Edited for grammar and clarity by LEEP Calendar)
A Brief Background
Honeywell, White-Rogers, and General Electric started Thermostat Recycling Corp. (TRC) as a nonprofit in 1998 to safely remove mercury-containing thermostats and keep them out of the waste stream. Because mercury is an element, you cannot destroy it, and scientists have identified it as a hazardous substance to humans and animals. Furthermore, the media has raised concerns about the safety of mercury in our waterways and the dangers of eating fish with unacceptable levels of mercury.
Today, 31 manufacturers participate in TRC's efforts with financial support. Our clear-cut, collective goal is to keep mercury out of the waste stream to protect the environment.
The Influence of Smart Thermostats
Consumers (leaving aside a small number of DIYers) will generally remove and replace a thermostat by calling a contractor. But there can be a motivation for consumers, too, as many are now becoming interested in smart thermostats that offer more options. A combination of falling prices on certain intelligent thermostats and utilities offering rebates makes it far more likely to impact consumers' decisions than a rebate we pay to a contractor. So, in a sense, the change is more likely to initiate from the consumer (for all the benefits of a smart thermostat) yet is tied to a contractor who has the added incentive of a rebate for following proper recycling protocols.
The thermostat product landscape has changed, too. A decade ago, who would have thought that having a neat-looking thermostat in your home could be cool (forgive the pun)?
The benefit to utilities is that they help their customers save on energy costs with an intelligent thermostat while also building their consumer usage and preferences database. The advantage of having a utility involved is they often will have an approved contractor who knows the installation process and how to recycle a mercury thermostat.
It's Not Just About the Incentive
While economic incentives are appealing and have played a significant role, Tom Murray, an environmental consultant, suggests an alternative message we must not overlook.
Murray says the appeal to a higher cause — our environment — is the carrot, and the stick draws attention to the liability issue. "Many people simply aren't aware of the statutes out there that address the issue of properly disposing of mercury-containing thermostats," he said. If a problem occurs, the contractor could be liable if he leaves the mercury thermostat behind.
He also offered his thoughts on how to affect the behavior of DIYers who might buy a smart thermostat from a retailer, bypassing the contractor altogether. "Why not include in the box their purchase information on how to properly dispose of the old mercury-containing thermostat," he said. "The consumer might not realize that his old thermostat represents a hazard, and you've given him an easy answer to deal with its disposal."
Mercury-Containing Thermostats: A Historical Perspective
The first efforts to recycle mercury-containing thermostats started with the passage of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act on Oct. 21, 1976. The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act — commonly referred to as RCRA — was our nation's primary law governing the disposal of solid and hazardous waste.
The law intended to address the nation's increasing problems from growing municipal and industrial waste. It identified certain "metals of concern," such as mercury, and flagged products that contained mercury. After the RCRA's enactment, mercury thermostats were co-mingled (pardon the recycling pun) with other household products (batteries, certain pesticides, and lamps) that fell under RCRA enforcement. This rule – published in 1995 – included lowering the standards for manifest shipping requirements, defining small quantity generator designations, and classifying these products as universal wastes instead of hazardous ones.
Lessening their designations allowed for the streamlining of recycling programs, eased the regulatory burden, and reduced the number of hazardous wastes going to landfills or municipal combustors. The rule allowed several states to tighten legislation requiring manufacturers to pay for recycling or develop penalties for improper disposal of mercury thermostats through disposal bans.
Along with RCRA, the Mercury Export Ban Act (MEBA) of 2008 required a reduction in the use of mercury in products and prohibited the reintroduction of mercury back into commerce.
MEBA eliminated the market for mercury-containing products, such as mercury thermostats, even though their product life cycle was declining. MEBA required the Department of Energy to designate and operate long-term management of storage for elemental mercury generated in the U.S. To date, the long-term storage plan is incomplete."
Author: Ryan L. Kiscaden is the Executive Director of the Ft. Washington, PA-based Thermostat Recycling Corp., a nonprofit that 31 manufacturers support.
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