Contact:             John Reindl, recycling manager (608) 267-8815;

Sharyn Wisniewski, county executive’s office (608) 267-8823

NOTE: Photos showing the interior of common thermostats with the vials of mercury in them can be emailed to you upon request.  Contact Sharyn Wisniewski at wisniewski@co.dane.wi.us or 267-8823.

As summer turns to fall, many people think about upgrading their heating system in preparation for winter, including replacing old thermostats.

Many old thermostats have mercury in them, which can cause serious environmental and health problems if not properly handled. Mercury is a toxic metal that can harm the nervous system and other organs.

“Old thermostats are the single largest source of mercury in our homes and businesses,” said Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk.  “Fortunately, we have developed readily available alternatives to recycle this mercury so that the environment and human health are protected.”

In the first six months of this year, over 1,000 thermostats have been recycled in Dane County at thermostat wholesalers under a program paid for by the thermostat manufacturers and at the County Clean Sweep center.  More recently, retailers of thermostats have also started collecting them for recycling.       

Each mercury thermostat has an average of 4 grams of mercury in it, which could pollute a typical 80-acre lake or a volume of 20 million gallons of water enough to result in a fish consumption advisory for a year. Dane County residents and businesses discard an estimated 14,000 thermostats a year, containing enough mercury to pollute 140 lakes the size of Lake Monona each year.  

Because of mercury build-up in fish, the state has issued fish consumption advisories for all lakes and streams in Wisconsin. Because of the toxicity of the metal, disposal of mercury products into Dane County landfills is illegal.   MORE

In Dane County, there are 23 locations that accept old thermostats for recycling, with two-thirds of these programs accepting them for no charge.

Recycling locations in Dane County for thermostats and other materials can also be found on the Dane County web page at http://www.co.dane.wi.us. Click on the recycling symbol in the lower part of the page and then click on the listing for “Recycling Drop-off Centers for Special Materials.

Thermostat Recycling Locations In Dane County

                        Contractors Only