Household Hazardous Waste Program

Mercury Thermostats

How to get a thermostat recycling collection container

If your company has seven or more contractors/technicians or is located in a rural area, you are eligible to get your own collection container from the Thermostat Recycling Corporation. A rural area is anywhere that is 15 miles or more outside the Portland, Salem, Eugene, Bend, Corvallis, and Medford urban areas. If you’re not sure if you’re located in a rural area, go to the Oregon Health and Science University Rural Definitions Web page and scroll down to the Office of Rural Health Urban/Rural Map to locate rural areas.

• Oregon Health and Science University Rural Definitions Web page

If you qualify for your own collection container, DEQ will pay the one-time $25 fee to TRC. Here’s how to get a free collection container:

1. Fill out and print the order form.

• HVAC Contractor Collection Container Order Form PDF

2. Send the completed form to:

Oregon DEQ
SWPPD Thermostats Program
811 SW Sixth Avenue
Portland, OR 97204

3. DEQ will forward the form and fee to TRC, who will mail you the collection container or containers and instructions on how to use them.

You can also order a collection container directly from TRC, but you will have to pay the one-time $25 fee if you do so. For more information, call 1-800-238-8192.

How to recycle individual thermostats

If you do not want your own collection container, you can continue to return thermostats to a wholesaler who participates in the Thermostat Recycling Inc program. To find the location of a participating wholesaler, go to:

• www.thermostat-recycle.org/pages/faqs/

If you are a conditionally exempt generator of hazardous waste, you can also take mercury thermostats and other waste to a local household hazardous waste collection program. For more information, call 1-800-732-9253.

If you have questions about the TRC contractor collection container program, contact Maggie Conley at 503-229-5106 or toll-free in Oregon at 1-800-452-4011 x5106.

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