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Program Description The University of Kentucky Office of Environmental Health and Safety has developed a mercury thermometer recycling program to help eliminate mercury and its associated health and environmental hazards. The USEPA has identified mercury as one of their waste minimization priority chemicals, making the reduction of mercury a priority. The reduction in use of mercury is not only a U.S. priority, but is also an international priority. Other benefits include a reduction in costs associated with the cleanup and disposal of mercury and contaminated equipment, and less down time in research and teaching labs as spills are cleaned up. There is also a proposed legislative bill in Congress that would begin the process of mercury elimination and management nation wide. The University of Kentucky is in a position to reduce or eliminate mercury prior to the implementation of federal mandates and supports the USEPA push to reduce mercury waste. How does the recycling program work?
The Office of Environmental Health and Safety will provide a one-for-one
exchange of mercury thermometers for non-mercury thermometers.
These non-mercury thermometers meet accuracy standards established
by the National
Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Forms that indicate
the number of thermometers for pick up and the selected replacement
thermometers are submitted to EH&S. The replacement thermometers are purchased
by
the recycling program and delivered. The exchange takes place and
the mercury thermometers are packed and shipped for recycling. You
or your
department will not be billed for exchanging thermometers. |
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