Smart Thermostats Growth Brings Warning on Disposal of Old, Mercury-Containing Units from TRC
New York, NY — Thermostat Recycling Corp. (TRC) urges utilities and companies involved in the removal of old thermostats to use its services for the free, safe recycling of any units that contain mercury.
The backdrop for this increased message is the growth of the smart thermostat market. “It was estimated to be $1.63 billion in 2018 and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 16.7% from 2018 to 2025,” according to Research and Markets, which describes itself as the world’s largest market research store.
“The growth of smart thermostats offers compelling evidence of an increased market that will result in the replacement of more and more old thermostats,” said Danielle Myers, operations & compliance manager, TRC. “We understand many organizations that are involved in the installation process of this new technology must remove existing units, some of which could be mercury-containing thermostats. Their removal is a discipline in which we excel.”
TRC recommends that utilities, companies and contractors involved in the process ensure that the individual responsible for the installation process know to use TRC to dispose of the old unit by including this statement: “After installation of a new smart thermostat, what should you do with the old thermostat? Do not dispose of any old mercury-containing thermostats in the local landfill or local incinerator. It is very important that you collect any old mercury-containing thermostats that you have replaced and dispose of them in an approved Thermostat Recycling Corp. bin for recycling. The service is free, and you can find a location near you at www.trcprod.wpengine.com.”
“TRC wants to ensure that this information reaches the individual responsible for any thermostat installation, giving them an easy, free and reputable way of safely removing the thermostat and ensuring that we have a greener environment,” said Myers.
About Thermostat Recycling Corporation
Thermostat Recycling Corporation, founded in 1998, is an industry-funded nonprofit corporation supported by 31 manufacturers that historically branded and sold mercury thermostats in the United States. TRC maintains a network of more than 3,600 collection sites nationwide and has recovered more than 2.5 million thermostats, containing 12 tons of mercury, since its inception. TRC assumes all costs to transport and properly dispose of mercury switch thermostats recovered from service. Learn more about TRC at trcprod.wpengine.com.