To reduce mercury in homes, Dakota County and the Solid Waste Management Coordinating Board offer a mercury fever thermometer exchange program at
The Recycling Zone in Eagan. Bring your mercury fever thermometer to The Recycling Zone and receive a digital thermometer for free. The thermometers will be given out until they are gone.
Facts about mercury:
- Mercury is a nerve toxin that is especially dangerous when inhaled.
- Mercury symptoms in children have included apathy, irritability, hypersensitivity, weight loss, sweating, light sensitivity and eczema.
- Mercury bio-accumulates in our environment, which means it builds up in the tissues of humans and animals. This is when ingesting mercury contaminated fish can lead to poisoning.
Mercury thermometers are made of glass, the size of a straw, with a silvery-white liquid inside.
Having a mercury fever thermometer in your home can be a potential risk to the health of your family and community. If mercury spills from a thermometer and is not cleaned up properly, it evaporates and could reach dangerous levels in indoor air. Even the smallest amount of mercury needs to be treated as a serious issue, especially when children and pets reside in the household.
Guidelines:
- Transport thermometer in rigid container to avoid breakage
- Limit one per participant
- Limited quantities available, while supplies last