New Requirements for Disposing of
Mercury-added Products
Homeowners, This
Includes You!
As of
¨
Thermometers
¨
Fluorescent
lamps
¨
Thermostats
¨
Mercury button
cell batteries
¨
Switches and
relays
Homeowners
and businesses alike are subject to this ban.
However, the ban does not prohibit the recycling of these items
at solid waste facilities and we encourage consumers to bring them to their
local facility for recycling along with their other recyclables. Legal disposal options include:
¨
Collection
and Recycling at Municipal Facilities
¨
Household
Hazardous Waste Collection Events
¨
TrueValue
and Ace Fluorescent Lamp Recycling Stores
¨
Municipal and
Commercial Thermostat Recycling Locations
Sixty-three towns
currently accept fluorescent lamps and of those, 29 also accept and recycle
other mercury-containing products.
New Requirements for Disposing of
Mercury-added Products
Homeowners, This
Includes You!
As of
¨
Thermometers
¨
Fluorescent
lamps
¨
Thermostats
¨
Mercury button
cell batteries
¨
Switches and
relays
Homeowners
and businesses alike are subject to this ban.
However, the ban does not prohibit the recycling of these items
at solid waste facilities and we encourage consumers to bring them to their
local facility for recycling along with their other recyclables. Legal disposal options include:
¨
Collection
and Recycling at Municipal Facilities
¨
Household
Hazardous Waste Collection Events
¨
TrueValue
and Ace Fluorescent Lamp Recycling Stores
¨
Municipal and
Commercial Thermostat Recycling Locations
Sixty-three towns
currently accept fluorescent lamps and of those, 29 also accept and recycle
other mercury-containing products.
Mercury: What’s the Big Deal?
Mercury is a toxic chemical that accumulates in our
bodies and never breaks down into non-toxic forms. Mercury can damage several parts of the body,
including the liver, kidneys and especially the brain, where it may cause
neurological disorders. It should not be
released into the environment. Some
common sources of mercury are:
¨
Power Plants
that burn coal, releasing mercury into the air;
¨
Dentists that
discharge mercury-amalgam down the drain; and
¨
Households that discard fluorescent lamps, thermostats, etc. in the
garbage.
Once mercury is released into the air, water or
ground, it moves through the environment and is absorbed by plants and
animals. Mercury bioaccumulates, that
is, small amounts build up in the environment over time, and easily moves up
the food chain as larger animals eat smaller animals. Mercury bioaccumulates in fish, which is the
main way people ingest it.
Further Information
Common Mercury-added
Products: http://www.des.nh.gov/nhppp/Mercury/HgProducts.asp
HHW schedule: http://www.des.nh.gov/HHW/
True Value: www.des.nh.gov/nhppp/Mercury/default.asp?link=lamp
Thermostat Recycling Program: http://www.des.nh.gov/nhppp/trc.htm
For more information,
contact
Mercury: What’s the Big Deal?
Mercury is a toxic chemical that accumulates in our
bodies and never breaks down into non-toxic forms. Mercury can damage several parts of the body,
including the liver, kidneys and especially the brain, where it may cause
neurological disorders. It should not be
released into the environment. Some
common sources of mercury are:
¨
Power Plants
that burn coal, releasing mercury into the air;
¨
Dentists that
discharge mercury-amalgam down the drain; and
¨
Households that discard fluorescent lamps, thermostats, etc. in the
garbage.
Once mercury is released into the air, water or
ground, it moves through the environment and is absorbed by plants and
animals. Mercury bioaccumulates, that
is, small amounts build up in the environment over time, and easily moves up
the food chain as larger animals eat smaller animals. Mercury bioaccumulates in fish, which is the
main way people ingest it.
Further Information
Common Mercury-added
Products: http://www.des.nh.gov/nhppp/Mercury/HgProducts.asp
HHW schedule: http://www.des.nh.gov/HHW/
True Value: www.des.nh.gov/nhppp/Mercury/default.asp?link=lamp
Thermostat Recycling Program: http://www.des.nh.gov/nhppp/trc.htm
For more information,
contact