Guide for Reuse, Repair, Recycling, and Safe Disposal
for Alameda County, Contra Costa County, and the City of Palo Alto

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Mercury Thermostats

A control device typically used in a heating and/or cooling system to maintain a set temperature. Older models contain liquid mercury and are considered hazardous waste. Newer models are electronic and considered electronic waste when non-working.

Household Hazardous Waste

This item should never be put in a curbside bin. For more information visit our household hazardous waste page.

In the old style of thermostats with a lever or switch - not the newer electronic kind - there is mercury inside the sealed glass tilt switch.

Properly recycling mercury thermostats is the law. Use the Thermostat Recycling Location Finder to find free drop-off sites near you. Residents, contractors, and businesses all qualify for rebates of up to $30 per mercury thermostat.

Vendors

Vendor Address City Destination Disposal Method Notes
Air Cold Supply (Ferguson HVAC) 6780 Sierra Ct
Unit Q
Dublin Safe Disposal Buyback Drop-off Thermostat Care Drop-off Location. Free drop-off, complete form, rebate mailed at future date.
Air Cold Supply (Ferguson HVAC) - Hayward 26999 Industrial Blvd Hayward Safe Disposal Buyback Drop-off Thermostat Care Drop-off Location. Free drop-off, complete form, rebate mailed at future date.
Alameda County Business Hazardous Waste Program (Fremont Facility) 41149 Boyce Rd. Fremont Safe Disposal Buyback Drop-off Thermostat Care Drop-off Location. Free drop-off, complete form, rebate mailed at future date.
Alameda County Business Hazardous Waste Program (Hayward Facility) 2091 West Winton Avenue Hayward Safe Disposal Buyback Drop-off Thermostat Care Drop-off Location. Free drop-off, complete form, rebate mailed at future date.
Alameda County Business Hazardous Waste Program (Livermore Facility) 5584 La Ribera Street Livermore Safe Disposal Buyback Drop-off Thermostat Care Drop-off Location. Free drop-off, complete form, rebate mailed at future date.
Alameda County Business Hazardous Waste Program (Oakland Facility) 2100 East 7th Street Oakland Safe Disposal Buyback Drop-off Thermostat Care Drop-off Location. Free drop-off, complete form, rebate mailed at future date.
Alameda County Household Hazardous Waste Program (Fremont Facility) 41149 Boyce Rd.
(At the Fremont Transfer Station - follow the trucks)
Fremont Safe Disposal Buyback Drop-off  Thermostat Care Drop-off Location. Free drop-off, complete form, rebate mailed at future date.
Alameda County Household Hazardous Waste Program (Hayward Facility) 2091 West Winton Avenue Hayward Safe Disposal Buyback Drop-off  Thermostat Care Drop-off Location. Free drop-off, complete form, rebate mailed at future date.
Alameda County Household Hazardous Waste Program (Livermore Facility) 5584 La Ribera Street Livermore Safe Disposal Buyback Drop-off  Thermostat Care Drop-off Location. Free drop-off, complete form, rebate mailed at future date.
Alameda County Household Hazardous Waste Program (Oakland Facility) 2100 East 7th Street Oakland Safe Disposal Buyback Drop-off  Thermostat Care Drop-off Location. Free drop-off, complete form, rebate mailed at future date.
Allied Refrigeration 2175 Adams Avenue San Leandro Safe Disposal Buyback Drop-off Thermostat Care Drop-off Location. Free drop-off, complete form, rebate mailed at future date.
Appliance Parts Distributor 6843 Dublin Blvd Dublin Safe Disposal Buyback Drop-off Thermostat Care Drop-off Location. Free drop-off, complete form, rebate mailed at future date.
BulbCycle 7700 Regents Road #113
Suite 547
San Diego Safe Disposal Mail-in for a Fee
Castro Valley Sanitary District Office 21040 Marshall St Castro Valley Safe Disposal Buyback Drop-off Thermostat Care Drop-off Location. Free drop-off, complete form, rebate mailed at future date.
City of Palo Alto Household Hazardous Waste Station Program 2501 Embarcadero Way Palo Alto Recycle Free Drop-off Only 15 gallons or 125 pounds of hazardous waste per visit. Must be a Palo Alto resident, proof of residency is required.
Clean Earth (AERC) (Hayward) 30677 Huntwood Ave Hayward Recycle Drop-off for a Fee
Cole Hardware (Rockridge) 5533 College Ave Oakland Safe Disposal Buyback Drop-off Thermostat Care Drop-off Location. Free drop-off, complete form, rebate mailed at future date.
Delta HHW Collection Facility 2550 Pittsburg-Antioch Hwy Antioch Recycle Free Drop-off, Drop-off for a Fee
FixIt Clinic (In-person & Virtual) Repair Free Mail-in Self-repair through the Global Fixers Server on Discord or through Zoom FixIt Clinics.
Freon Free 1881 Walters Ct Suite A Fairfield Recycle Drop-off for a Fee, Pick-up for a Fee

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