Municipal Thermometer Exchange
| Organization(s) |
Massachusetts Dept. of Environmental Protection
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| Project Description |
A 2002 campaign by Massachusetts environmental agencies to round up and recycle mercury fever thermometers was a major win for public health. Working with pharmacy chains and other state agencies, the Massachusetts Executive Office of Environmental Affairs and Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) collected more than 100,000 mercury thermometers across the state and provided digital thermometers and forehead fever strips as replacements.
Building on the success of this campaign, over the summer of 2002, DEP began distributing digital thermometers and forehead fever strips to towns and cities for local collection and exchange programs. Exchanges are offered through hazardous household product collection events, weekend recycling collections, local boards of health and even day care centers.
DEP has distributed 7,000 digital thermometers and 8,000 forehead fever strips to about 50 communities. As of the end of August 2002, participating towns and cities had collected approximately 2,250 mercury thermometers for recycling.
The program continued through the winter and was publicized through listserves and Municipal Recycling Incentive Program district coordinators. DEP's supply of digital thermometers is dwindling, but the agency has an ample supply of forehead fever strips. |
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| Project Contact |
| Name |
Reva Levin |
| Phone |
617-556-1135 |
| E-mail |
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| Project Keywords |
| Industrial Sectors |
Health Care and Hospitals |
| Activity Keywords |
Funding and grants |
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| Source |
| Newsletter |
Northeast States Pollution Prevention News - Vol. 12 No. 3, Fall 2002 [PDF] |
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