Thermometers
CAUTION: Mercury thermometers contain the toxic metal mercury and are not permitted to be disposed in York County trash. Click here to view options to manage household hazardous waste in York County. Broken mercury thermometers are a health hazard and must be cleaned up and disposed in a very specific manner. For instructions on how to clean up a broken mercury thermometer, click here to visit the US Environmental Protection Agency’s website. The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PA 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, click here.
REUSE: Thermometers in good working condition can be donated or resold. An internet search such as “donate thermometer York PA” will show organizations that accept these items for donation, or click here to view a list of York County donation/reuse outlets. Reusable items can also be resold at garage sales, consignment stores and on internet sale platforms.
TRASH: Digital and metal-coil thermometers contain no mercury and can be disposed in the regular trash.