Household Hazardous Waste
This item should never be put in a curbside bin. For more information visit our household hazardous waste page.
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.
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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FixIt Clinic (In-person & Virtual) | Repair | Free Mail-in | Self-repair through the Global Fixers Server on Discord or through Zoom FixIt Clinics. | |||
| ThermostatCare Recycling Location Finder | Recycle | Free Drop-off, Buyback Drop-off | The Thermostat Care safe thermostat recycling program of California helps individuals and businesses properly dispose of old mercury thermostats that pose a health hazard to communities and the environment. $30 per unit rebate. See website for info and drop-off locations. | |||
| Delta HHW Collection Facility | 2550 Pittsburg-Antioch Hwy | Antioch | Recycle | Free Drop-off, Drop-off for a Fee | ||
| Truitt & White Lumber Lumber and Hardware | 642 Hearst Ave | Berkeley | Safe Disposal | Buyback Drop-off | Thermostat Care Drop-off Location | |
| 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. | |
| 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. | |
| 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. | |
| Heating & Cooling Supply | 6510 Sierra Ct | Dublin | Safe Disposal | Buyback Drop-off | Thermostat Care Drop-off Location. Free drop-off, complete form, rebate mailed at future date. | |
| Freon Free | 1881 Walters Ct Suite A | Fairfield | Recycle | Drop-off for a Fee, Pick-up for a Fee | ||
| 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 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. | |
| Clean Earth (AERC) (Hayward) | 30677 Huntwood Ave | Hayward | Recycle | Drop-off for a Fee | ||
| 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. | |
| 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. | |
| Johnstone Supply (Hayward) | 1497 Zephyr Ave | 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 (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. | |
| Johnstone Supply (Livermore) |
7066 Las Positas Rd Suite D |
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 (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. |
