The Thermostat Recycling Corporation (TRC), a not-for-profit corporation founded and operated by thermostat manufacturing companies, facilitates the nationwide collection of all brands of used, wall-mounted mercury-switch thermostats so that the mercury can be purified for re-use. Collection takes place through HVAC wholesale outlets, HVAC contractors that meet certain size or location criteria, and local household hazardous waste facilities. The TRC program is available to eligible participants throughout the continental United States and is taking steps to expand into Canadian provinces. Participating organizations pay only a one-time fee of $25 to obtain a collection bin – all other costs of the program are borne by the TRC.

News

• Information for Maine Homeowner Thermostat Mailback Program - January 2008 (21k)
  TRC provides postage paid mailing labels to homeowners in Maine to facilitate proper disposal of mercury thermostats.
• TRC Announces Steep Increase in Collections in 2006 - April 2007 (31.5k)
  The Thermostat Recycling Corporation (TRC) announced that it recovered more than 113,600 thermostats containing 1,082 pounds of mercury in 2006.
• TRC Thermostat and Mercury Recovery Rises Again in 2005 - May 2006 (423k)
  The Thermostat Recycling Corporation (TRC) announced that it recovered over 87,899 thermostats containing almost 820 pounds of mercury in the calendar year 2005.

Find a Participating Wholesaler

• TRC Wholesaler List--August 2007 (228k) This spreadsheet contains a list of heating, ventilation and air conditioning wholesalers that participate in the Thermostat Recycling Corporation program.

• TRC Contractors List--March 2007  (44k) This spreadsheet contains a list of contractors that participate in the Thermostat Recycling Corporation program.

• TRC Wholesaler Chain List -- July 2005 (32k)  This spreadsheet contains the names of wholesaler chains that participate in the Thermostat Recycling Corporation program through all or some of their individual outlets. 
  

Program Collection Results

• Full Year 2006 TRC Collection Results, by State - April 2007 (241k) Data reveal 29% increase in collections and 32% increase in pounds of mercury recovered nationwide.
• Spreadsheet of TRC Collection Results: Jan. 1998 - Dec. 2004   (20k)
  This spreadsheet summarizes TRC collection results (broken down by state) from Jan. 1998 - Dec 30, 2004.

Program Information

• Program Overview Presentation to California Resource Recovery Association (5.2Mb)  Presentation entitled "The Thermostat Recycling Corporation: Past, Present and Future" given by Mark Kohorst in September 2007
  
• TRC Contractor Flier (49k)  Two-page Q&A flier/poster about recycling used mercury-switch thermostats.
  
• Contractor Notification of Program to Recycle Mercury Wall-Mounted Thermostats (236k) This notification announces and explains the Mercury Thermostat Recycling program for heating and cooling (HVAC) contractors, service managers and technicians.

Questions & Answers

• Wholesaler Questions and Answers on the Mercury Thermostat Recycling Program  (25k) A question and answer sheet for heating and cooling (HVAC) wholesalers on the Thermostat Recycling Corporation (TRC) and the collection and recycling of mercury from wall-mounted thermostats.
• Contractor Information Sheet  (20k)  A sheet that provides information on how contractors have participate in the program directly under certain conditions.
• Contractor Questions and Answers on the Mercury Thermostat Recycling Program (25k)  A question and answer sheet for heating and cooling (HVAC) contractors on the Thermostat Recycling Corporation (TRC) and the collection and recycling of mercury from wall-mounted thermostats.

To participate in the Thermostat Recycling Corporation, please call 800-238-8192.