How do I dispose of items containing mercury?

Mercury is an element that can be harmful to human health and the environment if not disposed of properly. Mercury won't harm you or the environment as long as it stays inside the product and is handled properly when you are finished with it.

Mercury can be found in a variety of household products like thermometers, thermostats, button-cell batteries and fluorescent lamps.

Please handle products containing mercury very carefully and properly:

1. Never throw glass thermometers, old thermostats, button-cell batteries or fluorescent lamps in the trash.

2. Store mercury-containing products in a safe place, such as an unbreakable plastic container, away from children and pets.

3. Please bring products containing mercury [i.e. thermometers, thermostats, compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs)], to a Hazardous Waste Collection Day (Click Here for a listing - Salem or Beverly only) OR:

  • Fluorescent tubes: Lowe's in Danvers (978-646-9099), Batteries + Bulbs in Saugus (781-233-7587). ** NOTE: there is a charge to dispose of these items at Batteries Plus Bulbs, $0.75 / CFL bulb and $0.25 / linear foot of fluorescent tube (so $1.00 per 4ft tube and $2.00 per 8ft tube)
  • Thermostats and thermometers: Bell Simons/Bell Pump in Beverly (978-922-1920)
  • Button Batteries: Staples, Home Depot, Batteries + Bulbs, Bell Simons/Bell Pump, Salem Plumbing, Lowes

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1. Is there a comprehensive itemized disposal guideline?
2. Why should I recycle?
3. When is my trash and recycle collection day?
4. What about holiday week collections?
5. When should I put out my recycling?
6. Why didn’t the truck pick up my recycling?
7. Whom do I call if my trash, recycling, or yard waste is not picked up?
8. What can I recycle?
9. How do I put items out for recycling?
10. Do I need to rinse out my bottles and cans?
11. Do I need to separate cans, bottles and plastic containers from each other?
12. What about polystyrene, cartons (milk, juice, juice boxes etc), pizza boxes and microwave food boxes?
13. Can I put out more than one recycling bin?
14. Where can I get a recycling bin?
15. Does the City collect yard waste?
16. Is there a place where I can drop off my yard waste?
17. Does the City have a curbside pick up compost program?
18. How can I dispose of Christmas trees?
19. Is there a curbside Food Compost program?
20. Where can I recycle books, CDs, DVDs and VHS tapes?
21. How can I stop junk mail?
22. How can I shred confidential documents?
23. Is there an electronics collection?
24. Is there a hazardous waste collection?
25. How do I dispose of items containing mercury?
26. How do I dispose of waste oil (used motor oil)?
27. What can I do with all my plastic bags?
28. Can I put out any size barrel for trash and recycling?
29. Can I throw away my propane tank?
30. Is there a limit to the amount of large (“Bulk”) items I can throw away?
31. Where can I bring ink and toner cartridges to recycle?
32. How do I dispose of pharmaceuticals?