Earth Day, 2010 is when Cornell introduced the Mercury Exchange Program.  This was meant to be a pilot and when they were gone, it was done.  This was so successful, the program still exists.   According to the program manager we have exchanged over 1,000 thermometers since 2010!  This is continually promoted through lab inspections and mercury spill cleanups – I personally had 3 last month that were found during inspections where the lab agreed to change out the Hg thermometers for free.  They are still out there, but not as many. 

 

This reduction in Hg thermometers is also seen in our spill response/cleanup efforts.  I do not have the numbers for those, but I do receive the spill pages and it has decreased immensely.

 

Here is the link to that program: http://sp.ehs.cornell.edu/lab-research-safety/chemical-safety/chemical-waste/mercury-exchange-program/Pages/default.aspx

 

Thanks, Brenda

 

Brenda Coolbaugh, CHO, CHMM

Associate Chemical Hygiene Officer

Cornell University

Environmental Health and Safety

395 Pine Tree Rd, Suite 210

Ithaca, NY 14850

(607) 592-7069

www.ehs.cornell.edu/askEHS

 

 

 

Here is link to Stanford’s program. 

 

http://www.stanford.edu/dept/EHS/prod/enviro/Thermometer_replacement.html

 

Should have a lot of info and FAQs.

 

Larry

 

Lawrence M. Gibbs, CIH

Associate Vice Provost for EH&S

Stanford University

480 Oak Road

Stanford, CA  94305-8007

650-723-7403

 

 

 

Colleagues,

 

I’m looking for comparison data / recommendations I might use to assuage academic researcher anxiety with respect to swapping their mercury thermometers for spirit thermometers.

 

Reluctance to give up Hg thermometers is often rationalized by claiming spirit thermometers aren’t as accurate or aren’t appropriate for as many applications as a mercury-filled thermometer.

 

I would appreciate suggestions on where I might find performance-based support for spirit-filled thermometers.

 

I have information regarding comparisons of potential exposure health risk, spill clean-up expense and environmental contamination.

 

Thanks for your help in finding performance-based support for using spirit filled thermometers rather than mercury filled thermometers,

 

Dan

---------------------------------

Dan Blunk  PhD, REA  831.459.3541 

Environmental Programs Manager

Environmental Health & Safety Office

University of California Santa Cruz