NEW YORK — Thermostat Recycling Corp. (TRC) has launched its 12th annual Banish Mercury Off the Planet (BMOP) competition.

The contest recognizes members of Heating Air-Conditioning Refrigeration Distributors International (HARDI) that collect the most mercury-containing thermostats. HARDI is one of the largest and most successful trade associations representing HVACR distributors in the U.S.

“We have developed a hugely popular campaign for more than a decade that highlights HARDI distributors who have persistently worked at removing and safely recycling mercury-containing thermostats,” said Danielle Myers, executive director, TRC. “Our green collection buckets have been identified with HARDI wholesalers throughout the country, and it is a visual reminder of their efforts at keeping the environment safer for everyone.”

The BMOP contest begins concludes Oct. 31. HARDI members do not have to sign up to enter the contest. They only have to return thermostats collected through the green bins TRC places in HARDI wholesale member branches throughout the U.S.

HARDI members are in every state and have collection bins where their customers — HVACR contractors — can conveniently deposit the thermostats.

The BMOP contest, originally called the Big Man on the Planet, until 2018, recognizes winners in three categories:

• The distributor that recycles the most pounds of mercury overall;
• The distributor that recycles the highest average pounds of mercury (total pounds divided by branch count locations that submitted a collection bin); and
• The distributor with the highest participation rate (for distributors with more than 10 locations).

TRC will announce the winners of each category at HARDI’s annual conference, Dec. 2 to 5, 2023, in Phoenix.

Previous winners of the contest include:

2022: Johnstone Supply, Progress Supply and Allied Supply;

2021: Johnstone Supply, Famous Supply and Geary Pacific;

2020: Johnstone Supply, APCO Inc. and Allied Refrigeration;

2019: Johnstone Supply, Dubuque Supply and Johnson Supply;

2018: Johnstone Supply, Meier Supply Co., and Johnson Supply;
 2017: Johnstone Supply, Tower Equipment, Johnson Supply;
 2016: Johnstone Supply, Gustave Larson, Auer Steel;
 2015: Auer Steel, Johnson Supply, US Air Conditioning Distributors, and Johnstone Supply;
 2014: Corken Steel Products, Crescent Parts & Equipment, and Johnstone Supply;
 2013: Johnstone Supply; and
 2012: Johnson Supply.

For more information, visit https://thermostat-recycle.org.