Thermometers

Thermometers in good working condition may be able to be donated.  An internet search such as “donate thermometer York PA” will show organizations that accept these items for donation.

Mercury thermometers contain the toxic metal mercury and are not permitted to be disposed of in York County garbage.  Click here to view options to manage HHW in York County. 

Broken mercury thermometers are a health hazard and must be cleaned up and disposed of in a very specific manner. For instructions on how to clean up a broken mercury thermometer, follow this link to the US Environmental Protection Agency’s Website:  https://www.epa.gov/mercury/what-do-if-mercury-thermometer-breaks.  The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has a free mercury collection service for the proper disposal of the elemental mercury that is no longer contained within a thermometer or similar device. For more information, please contact the following DEP staff: Walt Bair at 717-705-4741 or Chris Bosnyak at 717-705-4742.

Digital and metal-coil thermometers contain no mercury and can be disposed in the regular garbage.