Part I in the Recycle Series brought to you by Microempowering.org. Mercury lurking in your home? Find out how to properly recycle common household items containing mercury.

1. Mercury Lurking in your Home?
Recycle Series: Part I
brought to you by
Microempowering.org

2. What & Where is Mercury?
• Mercury is a liquid metal
that is sometimes used
in thermometers,
thermostats, and
fluorescent light bulbs.
• While mercury is used in
common household
items, interacting with it
can be harmful to your
health.

3. Dangers of Mercury
• Mercury is hazardous if
inhaled, ingested, or absorbed
through the skin.
• That is why it is a necessity to
properly dispose of mercury-
containing products.
• Improper disposal of products
containing mercury can
damage waterways and
contaminate the air and
environment.

4. Thermometers and Thermostats
• To reduce the risk of
exposure to mercury,
exchange your mercury
fever thermometers for
digital fever
thermometers.
• Safer alternatives to
mercury thermostats are
programmable electronic
thermostats. They are also
more energy efficient.

5. Disposal of Thermometers &
Thermostats
• Mercury thermometers
can be disposed of at any
special waste drop-off
site.
• When updating your
heating system, ask your
contractor to remove and
recycle your mercury
thermostat or recycle
them through the
Thermostat Recycling
Corporation.

6. Light Bulbs
• Compact fluorescent
lights (CFLs) and
fluorescent tubes
contain slight traces
of mercury.
• However, they are
safe to use.

7. Disposal of Light Bulbs
• You can drop off CFLs at
your local Home Depot,
Ikea, or Lowes for
recycling.
• If you choose to dispose
of bulbs in your regular
trash, be sure to double
bag them to prevent
injuries to sanitation
workers.

8. Disposal of Light Bulbs
• When disposing of
bulbs, handle with
care to avoid
breakage.
• If you break a bulb,
follow the
Environmental Protection A
to ensure your safety.

9. For more information on topics like this visit our
Resources page at www.Microempowering.org