Heating ventilation and air conditioning contractors reduce the amount of mercury released to the environment

Click for the list of participants.

HVAC contractors, suppliers and wholesalers can reduce mercury in the environment. Many older thermostats and some current ones use switches containing mercury. Mercury, also known as quicksilver, is a persistent toxin that can impact human health as well as the health of wildlife. When thermostats are disposed as refuse, mercury can be released and reach streams and rivers.  Mercury can move up the food chain and impact human health. The most susceptible are unborn and young children. An expectant mother can transfer mercury to a fetus, resulting in developmental problems. Women of childbearing age may store the mercury in their bodies and should they become pregnant, the mercury can impact the development of the fetus.

HVAC contractors and their suppliers can help keep mercury pollution out of the environment. The most common mercury-containing device a HVAC contractor may come across are thermostats. HVAC contractors often collect old mercury-containing thermostats when they are updating household, commercial and industrial systems. How they dispose of these old thermostats could have an impact on human health and the environment.

HVAC contractors should work with their suppliers and wholesalers to recycle mercury-containing thermostats. Wholesalers can take the lead and collect old thermostats and participate in an existing mercury collection program. These programs are economical, often free and meet environmental regulations. Throwing old thermostats away as municipal waste may not be lawful.

There are two programs available to assist HVAC contractors:

• The Thermostat Recycling Corporation (TRC) provides collection boxes and shipping boxes (at cost) for mercury-containing thermostats (TRC pays for shipping),http://www.nema.org/index_nema.cfm/664/; and
• The Bowling Green State University Mercury Collection Program accepts mercury-containing thermostats and works with companies to set up a collection procedure for recycling. The BGSU Mercury Collection Program operates throughout Ohio, www.bgsu.edu/offices/envhs/environmental_health/mercury.

Any thermostat wholesaler or contractor who works with a mercury recycling program may contact the Office of Pollution Prevention and be added to a mercury thermostat activity Web page. For more information about mercury or to list a company on the proactive mercury recycling list, please e-mail bill.narotski@epa.state.oh.us or check out the Ohio EPA mercury Web page at: www.epa.state.oh.us/ocapp/p2/mercury_pbt/mercury.html.

HVAC companies that host thermostat recycling programs:

The following is a list of HVAC companies that participate in thermostat recycling programs. Please note that this list is only a partial representation of these companies and is updated periodically. If you wish to be added to the list please notify the Ohio EPA Office of Compliance Assistance and Pollution Prevention . This list should not be seen as an endorsement or approval of these facilities by Ohio EPA.

Geo Source One 9021-B Heritage Drive BOX1330 Plain City, OH 43064 614 - 873-1140	G. L. Johnston 1440 Jackson Toledo, OH 43624-0000 (313)871-7000 ex125	United Automatic Heating I 2125 Superior Av E Cleveland, OH 44114-2101 (216)621-5571
Columbus Temperature Control 1053 E 5th Av Columbus, OH 43201-0000 614-294-6216	R.E. MICHEL COMPANY, INC 3412 S. RIDGE ROAD ASHTABULA, OH 44004-0000 (440) 993-7881	Robertson Heating Supply Co. 9287 MIDWEST AVE Garfiel Heights, OH 44125-0000 216-475-8626
United Refrigeration 985 Joyce Av Columbus, OH 43219-0000 614-253-8607	Refrigeration Sales Corp 189 Warden Avenue Elyria, OH 44035-0000 440-324-5853	Refrigeration Sales Corp 195 E So St Akron, OH 44502-0000 330-762-9000
The Habegger Corp 3079 Silver Dr Columbus, OH 43224-0000 614-267-7834	Robertson Heating Supply Co. 5301 EVERGREEN PKWY SHEFFIELD, OH 44054-0000 330-821-9180	Refrigeration Sales Corp 855 E Indianola Ave Youngstown, OH 44502-0000 330-788-7084, 800-624-4915
Probst Supply Co 366 w. Center St Marion, OH 43302-0000 (740)383-6071	Refrigeration Sales Corp 7012 Euclid Ave Cleveland, OH 44103-0000 216-881-5511	Robertson Heating Supply Co. 1290 Crescent Street Youngstown, OH 44502-0000 330-821-9180
Thermal Transmission Industries 500 West Indiana Avenue Perrysburg, OH 43551-1531 (419) 874-7968	Refrigeration Sales Corp 3405 Perkins Avenue Cleveland, OH 44114-0000 216-881-7800, 216-881-5511	R.E. MICHEL COMPANY, INC 4260 LAKE PARK ROAD YOUNGSTOWN, OH 44512-0000 (330) 782-6600
Robertson Heating Supply Co. 500 W. Main Street Alliance,OH 44601-0000 330-821-9180	CCI/Johnstone Supply 1640 E. Kemper Rd. Cincinnati, OH 45246-0000 513-772-4328
Robertson Heating Supply Co. 500 West Main St. Alliance, OH 44601-0000 (330) 932-9180	2-J Supply Co 872 Valley St Dayton, OH 45402-0000 937-223-0811
R.E. MICHEL COMPANY, INC 332 11TH STREET SE CANTON CITY, OH 44702-0000 (330) 782-6600	Allied Supply Co, Inc. 1100 E. Monument Ave. Dayton, OH 45402-0000 937-224-9833
Refrigeration Sales Corp 610 Lawrence Rd N.E. Canton, OH 44704-0000 330-456-2789	2-J Supply Co 872 Valley StDayton, OH 45404-0000 937-223-0811
Morrow Control and Supply 810 Carnahan Ave NE Canton, Oh 44705-0000 330-452-9791	2-J Supply Co. 872 Valley St.Dayton, OH 45404-0000 513-251-4343
Winstel Controls Co 1423 Queen City AV Cincinnati, OH 45214-0000 513-251-4343	Johnstone Supply 15 Troy ST Dayton, OH 45404-0000 937-222-4311
PROGRESS SUPPLY INC. 2864 SPRING DR BOX 25067 CININNATTI, OH 45225-0000 (513) 681-3881	Allied Supply Co, Inc. 460 S. Main Lima,OH 45804-0000 937-224-9833

Office of Compliance Assistance and Pollution Prevention
Ohio Environmental Protection Agency
P.O. Box 1049
Columbus, Ohio 43216-1049
Phone (614) 644-3469
Fax (614) 644-2807
Toll Free (800) 329-7518
E-Mail p2mail@epa.state.oh.us

page last updated: January 5, 2005