The City of Knoxville's Public Service Division will join with the Magnolia Campus of Pellissippi State Technical Community College to offer a used Mercury Thermometer Exchange.
The exchange is part of Pellissippi's "Spring Fling" event and is set for 10 a.m. until 12:45 p.m. on Monday, March 17, at Pellissippi's campus at 1610 E. Magnolia Avenue - or until the supply of thermometers is exhausted.
It offers an opportunity for citizens to replace used mercury thermometers with battery-operated digital thermometers, provided by the sponsoring organizations. The event is open to Pellissippi students and staff and residents of Knoxville and Knox County.
The digital thermometers will be available to the public, at no cost, in exchange for used mercury thermometers. Residents may bring up to two used thermometers to exchange - again while supplies last.
The exchanges have been very popular in the past and usually the supply of digital thermometers runs out before the end of the event's scheduled time.
Mercury thermometers are both an environmental and a health and safety problem. Broken thermometers are a potential source of injury from broken glass as well as a chemical hazard from mercury in the thermometer.
Please do not bring outdoor thermometers with red liquid. They do not contain mercury, which is silver-colored. Thermometers with red liquid, or colored alcohol, can be placed in the household trash.
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.