How to Dispose of Mercury and Mercury-Containing Items
Mercury is a toxic metal that can harm the nervous system and contaminate air, water, soil, fish, wildlife, and people. Do not place elemental mercury or mercury-containing products in household trash, curbside recycling, or drains. Use a household hazardous-waste program or a specialized collection program instead.
1. Common household items that may contain mercury
Mercury may be found in older household, medical, electrical, and lighting products.
Item | What to know |
Older fever and laboratory thermometers | Some contain visible liquid mercury. Digital thermometers are generally mercury-free. |
Older wall thermostats | Models with a mercury switch may contain a small glass ampoule or vial of mercury. |
CFL bulbs and fluorescent tubes | These contain a small amount of mercury vapor and should be recycled through an appropriate program. |
High-intensity discharge, mercury-vapor, metal-halide, and some neon lamps | These may contain mercury and need specialized recycling. |
Older button-cell and specialty batteries | Some may contain mercury or other hazardous materials. |
Old switches, relays, tilt switches, gauges, barometers, and manometers | Certain older devices may contain mercury. |
Loose elemental mercury | May be found in old scientific equipment, containers, or inherited materials. Never handle it unnecessarily. |
Not every older device contains mercury. If you are unsure, check the manufacturer label, product manual, or contact a household hazardous-waste program before disposing of it.
2. Safely store and transport mercury items
Keep mercury-containing products intact until you can take them to a proper collection site.
Do not break, crush, open, or dismantle the item.
Keep it away from children, pets, food, and heat.
Place the item in a sturdy, leak-proof container with a tight-fitting lid.
Cushion fragile items with absorbent material, such as kitty litter or oil-absorbent material, to reduce breakage.
Label the outer container: “Mercury, Do Not Open.”
Secure the container upright in a cardboard box during transport.
Keep it in the vehicle trunk or truck bed, not in the passenger area, and prevent it from sliding or tipping.
3. Where to take mercury-containing items
Household hazardous-waste programs
A local household hazardous-waste facility or collection event is usually the best option for:
Mercury thermometers
Loose mercury
Mercury-containing switches, gauges, and electrical devices
Mercury-containing batteries
CFLs, fluorescent tubes, and other mercury-containing lamps
Older thermostats
Contact your city, county, or state waste authority before visiting. Ask whether the program accepts the specific item and whether it has packaging or appointment requirements. EPA recommends recycling mercury-containing products rather than placing them in regular trash.
Thermostat recycling programs
Older wall-mounted thermostats with mercury switches can often be recycled through the Thermostat Recycling Corporation network. Collection sites may include HVAC contractors, heating and cooling supply distributors, retailers, municipal programs, and household hazardous-waste facilities.
Before removing an old thermostat, turn off power at the breaker if appropriate and follow the manufacturer’s instructions. If you are unsure whether it contains mercury or how to remove it safely, contact an HVAC professional.
CFL and fluorescent bulb recycling
Do not place CFLs, fluorescent tubes, or other mercury-containing lamps in curbside recycling. Keep them intact and take them to a household hazardous-waste facility, lamp recycler, or participating retailer that confirms it accepts them.
Because fluorescent bulbs can break easily, transport them in their original packaging or another protective container. Mercury-containing lamps should be managed to prevent releases to the environment.
4. What to do if mercury spills
A broken fluorescent bulb and a spill of liquid elemental mercury are not exactly the same situation. A large liquid-mercury spill, such as mercury from a broken thermometer, barometer, or stored container, needs especially careful handling.
First steps
If mercury is spilled:
Keep people and pets away from the area.
Do not walk through the spill.
Open windows and exterior doors to ventilate the room.
Close doors to other parts of the home.
Turn down the temperature if possible.
Leave the area for at least 15 minutes before beginning cleanup.
Turn off central heating or air conditioning if it could circulate vapors through the home.
Never do these things
Never use a vacuum cleaner.
Never use a broom.
Never pour mercury down a sink, toilet, drain, or storm sewer.
Never wash mercury-contaminated clothing, shoes, rugs, or other items in a washing machine.
Never use a household vacuum or shop vacuum to clean a mercury spill.
A vacuum can heat and spread mercury vapor, while a broom can break the mercury into smaller droplets and scatter it.
Small spill cleanup
For a small spill on a hard, nonporous surface, follow guidance from your local or state health department.
In general:
Wear disposable gloves.
Use stiff paper or cardboard to gently gather visible beads and broken glass.
Use sticky tape to pick up tiny beads or fragments.
Place mercury, glass, tape, gloves, paper towels, and other cleanup materials into a sealable glass jar with a metal lid or a sealed plastic bag, according to local instructions.
Label the container and take it to a household hazardous-waste facility.
Continue ventilating the area for several hours or as directed by local authorities.
If mercury has spilled onto carpet, upholstery, clothing, bedding, cracks in flooring, or a large area, do not attempt extensive cleanup yourself. Contact your local health department, fire department, environmental agency, or hazardous-waste program for instructions. EPA advises contacting local authorities promptly for larger spills.
5. Choose mercury-free alternatives
When replacing household products, choose mercury-free options whenever possible:
Digital thermometers instead of mercury thermometers
Programmable or smart thermostats instead of mercury-switch thermostats
LED bulbs instead of CFLs or fluorescent lighting
Mercury-free batteries when available
LED bulbs do not contain mercury and generally use less energy than traditional incandescent bulbs. However, LEDs still contain electronic components and should be recycled through an electronics or lighting-recycling program when possible.
Quick checklist
Do not place mercury, mercury thermometers, mercury thermostats, CFLs, fluorescent bulbs, or mercury-containing devices in trash, curbside recycling, or drains.
Keep mercury-containing products intact and protected from breakage.
Use a household hazardous-waste facility or specialized collection program.
Use a thermostat recycling program for old mercury-switch thermostats.
Never vacuum or sweep a mercury spill.
Ventilate the area, keep people and pets away, and follow local cleanup instructions.
Choose mercury-free alternatives for future purchases.
Safety disclaimer
Connecting The Dots Project provides this information for general educational purposes. Local disposal rules and collection programs vary by location. For a large spill, a spill on carpeting or porous materials, or any situation involving a child, pet, heating or ventilation system, or uncertainty about the material, contact your local health department, fire department, environmental agency, or household hazardous-waste program for guidance.