Thermostat Recycling Corp. Launches Annual Contest Honoring Wholesalers That Lead at Collecting Mercury-Containing Thermostats
New York, New York — Thermostat Recycling Corporation (TRC) has launched its 10th annual Banish Mercury Off the Planet competition.
The contest recognizes members of Heating Air-Conditioning Refrigeration Distributors International (HARDI) that collect the most mercury-containing thermostats.
HARDI is the largest and most successful trade association representing HVACR distributors in the United States.
“The coronavirus had an immense impact on our industry, but it was refreshing to see how our partners continued to persevere with the collection of mercury-containing thermostats,” said Danielle Myers, operations and compliance manager, TRC. “They exemplified a commitment and can-do spirit in our cause to help create a safer environment by continuing to drop off the units collected.”
The contest officially began May 1 and concludes Oct. 31.
HARDI members need not sign up to enter the contest. All they must do is return thermostats collected through the bins that TRC places in HARDI wholesale member branches throughout the United States.
HARDI members are in every state and have collection bins where their customers — HVACR contractors — can conveniently deposit the thermostats.
The Banish Mercury Off the Planet contest, originally called the Big Man on Planet until 2018, names winners in three categories:
- Distributor that recycles the most pounds of mercury overall.
- Distributor that recycles the highest average pounds of mercury (total pounds divided by branch count locations that submitted a collection bin).
- Distributor with the highest participation rate (for distributors with more than 10 locations).
TRC will publicly recognize the winners of each category at HARDI’s annual conference, Dec. 4 to 7, 2021, Palm Desert, California.
Previous winners of the contest include:
2020: Johnstone Supply, APCO Inc. and Allied Refrigeration.
2019: Johnstone Supply, Dubuque Supply and Johnson Supply
2018: Johnstone Supply, Meier Supply Co., and Johnson Supply
2017: Johnstone Supply, Tower Equipment, Johnson Supply
2016: Johnstone Supply, Gustave Larson, Auer Steel
2015: Auer Steel, Johnson Supply, US Air Conditioning Distributors, and Johnstone Supply
2014: Corken Steel Products, Crescent Parts & Equipment, and Johnstone Supply
2013: Johnstone Supply
2012: Johnson Supply
***
About Thermostat Recycling Corporation
Thermostat Recycling Corp., founded in 1998, is an industry-funded nonprofit corporation supported by 30 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. To learn more about TRC, visit www.trcprod.wpengine.com.