Ferguson HVAC recycles thermostats to keep mercury out of landfills

Ferguson announced its participation in Thermostat Recycling Corporation’s (TRC) fourth annual Big Man on Planet competition (BMOP). The competition runs May 1- October 31 and encourages Heating Air-conditioning and Refrigeration Distributors International (HARDI) wholesaler members to recycle mercury thermostats.

Ferguson HVAC locations are collecting mercury-containing thermostats from HVAC contractors as they are removed from service. Contractors bring the thermostats to any one of Ferguson’s 200 participating locations to be recycled for free. Wholesalers who collect the most mercury thermostats during the competition will be recognized at HARDI’s annual conference December 5 - 8 in Orlando, Fla.

According to TRC, a mercury thermostat contains at least 1,000 times more mercury than today’s standard compact fluorescent light bulb (CFL) and is likely the largest remaining reservoir of mercury in homes today with thousands ending up in the trash each year.

“Ferguson is committed to supporting Thermostat Recycling Corporation’s goal of keeping mercury out of our landfills and waterways,” said Bill Thomasson, Segment Marketing manager for HVAC. “We’re making it easy for our customers to participate in the mercury thermostat collection by providing recycling bins at our HVAC locations across the country.”

TRC is a non-profit stewardship organization that facilitates and manages the collection and proper disposal of mercury-containing thermostats. Today more than 3,400 businesses and communities in 47 states are enrolled in TRC’s recycling program. Since their founding in 1998, TRC has collected over 1.7 million mercury-containing thermostats keeping eight tons of mercury out of the waste stream.