Used Mercury Thermometer Exchange
July 13, 2008
On Tuesday, July 22 from 11AM to 1PM faculty, staff, and students are encouraged to exchange household mercury thermometers for free battery operated digital thermometers. The exchange will be located on the second floor of the University Center in the Carolyn Brown Lounge (outside the computer store).
Mercury thermometers are both an environmental and a health and safety problem. Broken thermometers are a potential source on injury from the broken glass, as well as a chemical hazard from the mercury in the thermometer.
This event will offer an opportunity for faculty and staff to replace used (personal) mercury thermometers with battery-operated digital thermometers, provided by the sponsoring organizations. The digital thermometers will be available at no cost, in exchange for used mercury thermometers. Faculty and staff may bring in as many used thermometers as they wish but because of supplies they can only receive one digital thermometer per family. The exchange will take place from 11 AM to 1 PM, or until the supply of 200 thermometers is exhausted
For safety during transportation please bring all thermometers in original storage cases. If the case is not available or the thermometer is broken, the thermometer should be brought in a 12-ounce plastic soda bottle with a screw-cap lid.
This exchange is limited to mercury thermometers from households. For more information contact Sarah Surak at 974-7780 or ssurak@utk.edu
Sponsored by: UT Make Orange Green
Knox County Health Department
TN Department of Environment and Conservation
City of Knoxville Public Service Division, Solid Waste Section
SAFE KIDS Coalition of the Greater Knox Area