NEW YORK — Thermostat Recycling Corp. (TRC) collected 28% fewer pounds of mercury from thermostats in 2022 when compared with 2021. As a result, it collected 673.83 pounds of mercury in 2022, compared with 936.59 pounds in 2021.

There were 73,152 mercury-containing thermostat units collected and recycled in 2022 compared with 93,045 in 2021, a decrease of about 21%.

“We should not be alarmed by the decrease in the collection of pounds or units,” said Danielle Myers, operations and compliance manager, TRC. “This overall decrease is a sign that we are fulfilling our mandate and mission of being effective in retrieving and recycling mercury-containing thermostats. For every unit we collect, there is one less mercury thermostat in the nation since they are no longer produced.”

“Also, we had a moderate increase in 2021, an acknowledgment of the pent-up opportunity for collection during the coronavirus pandemic, when the collection efforts lessened. This was a unique circumstance that slightly raised collections for one year, but we anticipated a return to declining collections, just as we have seen in 2022.”  

TRC’s top 10 recycling partners by pounds of mercury in 2022 are:

This past year, the top three states in the United States for recycling thermostats were California with 70.25 pounds, Minnesota with 60.1 pounds, and Massachusetts with 57.14 pounds. The mercury-containing thermostat collections peaked in 2014 with 203,346 units.

“Whatever the external circumstances, the commitment never falters on the part of TRC’s partners,” Myers said. “While the number of units that we recycle might diminish over time, the enthusiasm and consistency of our partners remain strong because they understand that their efforts help to keep our environment both cleaner and safer.”