Dive Brief:
- Wisconsin has introduced legislation that would require manufacturers to pay for a recycling program to discard mercury thermostats.
- Mercury-based thermostats can release toxic mercury into the environment if burned or thrown away improperly.
- The law would fine those who discarded of the thermostats incorrectly as well as landfill operators who accept them.
Dive Insight:
The advocacy group Clean Wisconsin estimates that one in ten thermostats are currently being recycled. A $5 cash incentive to recycle is being proposed as part of the proposal. California has implemented similar regulations.
