Free Mercury Collection Program

To reduce harmful exposure to mercury, DEQ and local household hazardous waste programs collect mercury and mercury-containing devices from Oregon residents free of charge. Here’s how the program works:

From your home

• Participating collection programs
  If you have elemental mercury or mercury-containing devices at home, you can take them free of charge to a household hazardous waste (HHW) facility or collection event. Statewide HHW programs are listed here:
  • Locally-Sponsored Household Hazardous Waste Services, By County
• Free home pick-up
  If there is no household hazardous waste disposal program available in your county or nearby counties, call the DEQ solid waste technical assistance staff member in the nearest DEQ regional office regarding free pick-up of mercury from your home by a DEQ hazardous waste contractor. To be eligible for free pick-up of mercury, you must meet the following criteria:
  1. Mercury must be in the elemental (liquid) form.
  2. There must be at least 3 pounds of mercury to be picked up (about ½ cup). If you have less than 3 pounds, DEQ may be able to pick it up in special circumstances (call DEQ regional office to check on this).
  3. You must be willing to hold on to the mercury and store it safely until the DEQ contractor is available to pick it up.

From a business or other non-household source (CEGs, including schools)

A conditionally exempt generator (CEG) creates less than 220 pounds of hazardous waste and 2.2 pounds of acutely hazardous waste per calendar month and does not accumulate more than 2,200 pounds of hazardous waste (2.2 pounds of acutely hazardous waste) at one time.

• Collection facilities
  If you are a business, school, or other non-household site that is a conditionally exempt hazardous waste generator (CEG), you can take your mercury for safe disposal to these permanent HHW collection facilities. You will not be charged for disposal of elemental mercury, mercury-containing waste (such as thermostats, thermometers, and switches), and mercury compounds. Fluorescent lights are not accepted free of charge under this program, but may be taken to these facilities (call for information about fees).
  • Metro Central and South (Portland area), 1-800-732-9253
  • Marion County, 1-800-444-4244
  • Lane County, 541-682-4119
  • Hood River, Wasco and Sherman County, 541-506-2603
  • Columbia County, 503-397-7218
    You do not need to live in these counties to take CEG mercury waste to these facilities free of charge. To participate:
    1. Call the facility for an appointment.
    2. Complete the Free Mercury Collection Application Form (including inventory sheet) and take it with you to the facility [No application form is necessary if taking waste to Columbia County facility].
       • Free Mercury Collection Application Form PDF
• Collection events
  Some local and DEQ-sponsored household hazardous waste collection events also accept CEG mercury waste free of charge.
  • Call 1-800-732-9253 to find out if there is a household hazardous waste collection event in your area that participates in the Free Mercury Collection Program.
• Other options
  Other options for safe disposal of CEG mercury waste are contracting with your hazardous waste vendor or hazardous waste contractor or recycling programs available through manufacturers or others.

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