County collects mercury thermometers
King County, Wash., is sponsoring a drive this month to collect mercury fever thermometers from residents to prevent mercury contamination of the environment.
King County, Wash., is sponsoring a drive this month to collect mercury fever thermometers from residents to prevent mercury contamination of the environment. Residents can exchange their mercury thermometers for digital thermometers at local pharmacies.
The county estimates 300,000 mercury thermometers exist in the area, according to the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. The county aims to collect 30,000 of them, which will prevent 66 pounds of mercury from being released into the environment, Lauren Cole, program manager for the Local Hazardous Waste Management Program, told the paper. The exchange program is costing the county $50,000. For more information, visit www.metrokc.gov/hazwaste.
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