The City of Knoxville's Public Service Division will join with Earth Fare, Shops at Turkey Creek to offer a used Mercury Thermometer Exchange.
The exchange is set for 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. on Saturday, March 29, at 10903 Parkside Drive - or until the supply of thermometers is exhausted.
The event is sponsored by City of Knoxville Public Service Division Solid Waste Section, Knox County Health Department / TN Department of Environment and Conservation and The Tennessee Valley Earth Partnership and Earth Fare.
This event will offer an opportunity for citizens to replace used mercury thermometers with battery-operated digital thermometers, provided by the sponsoring organizations. The digital thermometers will be available to the public at no cost, in exchange for used mercury thermometers. Residents may bring in up to two used thermometers to exchange as they wish from family, friends or neighbors while supplies last.
Please do not bring outdoor thermometers with red liquid. They do not contain mercury, which is silver-colored. Thermometers with red liquid (colored alcohol) can be placed in your household trash.
Other environmental groups will be on site at Earth Fare, March 29, 2008 for a special mini environment event to kick off EarthFest, Knoxville's Earth Day Event, April 26, 2008 at Pellissippi State Technical Community College. For the special event at Earth Fare on March 29, there will be live music, food, compost bin sales while supplies last, on site recycling and more.
For safety in transporting the thermometers please bring them in their storage cases. If those aren't available, or the thermometer is broken, the thermometers can be brought in a 12-ounce plastic water bottle with a screw-cap lid.
This exchange is limited to mercury thermometers from households. Other types of mercury-containing waste such as old non-digital thermostats, barometers and manometers or other household mercury waste or devices should be brought to the Knoxville Household Hazardous Waste Center, where it will be accepted for disposal during business hours.
The Household Hazardous Waste Center is free to residents of Knox County and City of Knoxville residents only and is located at 1033 Elm Street.
The Center does not accept material from businesses, or residents from out side Knox County. Additional information about the Knoxville Household Hazardous Waste Center is available at 215-6700.