Mercury-Containing Products
What are Mercury-Containing Products?
Some household and industrial products like thermostats, thermometers, and other measuring devices, contain components that use mercury. Most of these products have a mercury-free alternative available.
| Product | Amount of Mercury | Alternative |
|---|---|---|
| Thermostat |
~5 grams per thermostat |
digital thermostat |
| Thermometer |
~1 gram |
digital thermometer |
|
*Compact fluorescent lightbulb (CFL) |
~5 mg |
LED bulbs |
| *Linear fluorescent lights |
~4.4 to 15 mg per light |
LED bulbs |
*Currently there is no viable alternative to fluorescent lights (LED bulbs contain no mercury but are expensive).
Using energy-saving fluorescent lights will reduce the amount of mercury emitted from coal-fired power plants. Bottom line--keep buying CFLs!
Don't forget to recycle your old mercury-containing products! Most communities hold Household Hazardous Waste Days where you recycle fluorescent lights, thermometers and thermostats. Contact your local health department for more information.
Keep Mercury Products Out Of Landfills!
-
Avoid purchasing products that contain mercury
-
Support legislation that bans the use of mercury in products
-
Support legislation imposing a disposal ban on mercury-containing products
-
Make a donation to help support WVE's work
*************************************************
Additional Resources
Download WVE's fact sheet: Mercury-Containing Products: Recycle for a Healthy Future
Return to the main Mercury and Reproductive Justice campaign page
Natural Living Conference