Mercury Products

Information for Manufacturers of Mercury-Added Products

Manufacturers in compliance with mercury notification for toys and novelties

Many products we use every day contain mercury. Some products are made with mercury added to perform a specific function; these are called "mercury-added products". Other products may have small amounts of mercury in them because some chemical used in the manufacturing process is contaminated with mercury; these are called "mercury-containing products". Mercury-added products usually have much greater amounts of mercury in them than mercury-containing products.

The most commonly identified mercury-added products include some types of thermometers, barometers, thermostats, batteries, and fluorescent bulbs. Other products that may contain mercury include detergents & cleaners, switches, medical products, cosmetics, old pesticides and old paints. The "Wisconsin Mercury SourceBook" is a compilation of information to help identify and reduce the release of mercury in your community.

If you would like to check your home or school for mercury products, visit the following links for more information:

The Mercury in Schools Project - includes information on "Mercury at Home" and "Where is the Mercury in Schools?"
The Northeast Waste Management Officials' Association (NEWMOA) has a Mercury Assessment Checklist for Schools.

We all can help prevent mercury pollution by buying mercury-free products whenever possible and by recycling any mercury-added or mercury-containing products when we no longer need them. One step Maine has taken is to ban the sale of mercury fever thermometers in Maine. Non-mercury thermometers which work just as well are readily available. Another step you can take is to buy an electronic thermostat instead of a circular mercury thermostat when building a new home or updating your heating system. There are programs throughout Maine to collect mercury-added products and other household hazardous wastes for recycling and proper dispsal so that the mercury from these products does not end up in our air, water, or soil.

Mercury Mirror Alert

Thermostat Recycling