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RE: One Simple Way to Improve Our Environment
Dear Website Customer:
Environmental awareness and recycling are very much a part of our business
and personal lives, and becoming more so with each passing year as we
realize the importance of conserving and reusing our natural resources.
Your business or industry might have it's own product recycling program.
You may be recycling your waste materials at home. Or, like many people,
you might just be wondering what you can do to help the process. This
issue of our HVAC Quarterly Update will give you one
simple way to improve our environment.
For several years the air conditioning industry has been recovering and
recycling refrigerants in compliance with the Clean Air Act of 1990. In
addition to refrigerants and other chemicals, we are now recycling
out-of-service mercury switch thermostats. By doing this, we
are preventing contaminating materials from potentially entering the
environment and also providing consumers a convenient way to dispose of
mercury thermostats.
Most likely you haven't even thought about mercury thermostats before,
and this information may have raised some questions in you mind which
we will try to answer here.
WHAT HAPPENS TO THE OLD THERMOSTAT THAT MY CONTRACTOR REMOVED?
The mercury inside your old thermostat can be removed, recycled and used
again in new thermostats or other products. Virtually all the mercury
used in the manufacture of thermostats in the United States is from recycled
sources.
IS MY THERMOSTAT SAFE?
Yes, mercury thermostats are safe. In normal use, the consumer is never
exposed to the mercury which is entirely contained in a glass bulb. Thermostats
are specifically designed to protect and hold the mercury inside in a
strong and durable bulb which is attached to a metal strip that absorbs
shocks. A sturdy casing protects the bulb. Even so, it's prudent to handle
thermostats with care. Should you encounter a mercury "spill," immediately
call the Poison Center listed in your telephone directory for instructions
on how to proceed with clean up.
DO ALL THERMOSTATS CONTAIN MERCURY?
No, there are several types of thermostat that do not use mercury. These
include electronic, snap-action, reed switch and vapor-filled diaphragm
thermostats. Each type has its distinct features, impacts to the environment,
and must be handled responsibly when removed from service.
WHY IS MERCURY USED IN THERMOSTATS?
Despite extensive and continuing research, scientists have found no feasible
substitute for mercury. Mercury has many unique properties that make it
extremely effective in thermostats and other products. Mercury-containing
thermostats are very popular as they provide excellent performance and
value: quiet operation, efficient switching for accurate temperature control,
and many years of service with little or no maintenance.
HOW DOES THE MERCURY WORK INSIDE A THERMOSTAT?
Because of its excellent conductivity and high surface tension, the mercury
rolls freely inside the glass tube of a mercury switch. As it moves with
the switch, the mercury breaks or makes electrical circuits, which signal
the call for heating or cooling from a furnace or air conditioner.
There you have it--one simple way you can participate in improving
our environment! Ask your contractor if he is participating in
a recycling program. If he isn't, encourage him to do so. Please call
me at 214.631.1010 if you have any questions or would like us to pick
up an inoperable mercury thermostat that you want to recycle.
Sincerely,
KAHN MECHANICAL CONTRACTORS
Ann R. Kahn
TACL A370C
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