The following table provides a description of mercury containing products that you may have in your home. Some of these products, such as mercurochrome, are no longer available.
| Consumer Product | Description | Mercury-Free Alternative |
|---|---|---|
| Thermometers | Silver colored liquid in glass tube | Alcohol or digital thermometer |
| Thermostats | All non-electric models | Electronic models |
| Fluorescent Lights | Light bulbs in the form of long or curved tubes | None, take to HHW collection |
| Button Batteries | Button shaped batteries usually found in watches, calculators, toys, greeting cards, musical books, hearing aids and pagers. | None, take to HHW collection |
| Alkaline and Carbon Batteries | Prior to 1994 and foreign manufactured | Rechargeable or alkaline batteries manufactured after Jan 1, 1996. |
| Latex Paints | Prior to 1991 | Prior to 1991, take to HHW collection. |
| Shoes that Light Up | Prior to 1994 | Shoes that do not light up. Shoes with lights may contain a button battery that contains mercury. |
| Pilot Light Sensors | Some gas appliances such as stoves, ovens, clothes dryers, water heaters, furnaces and space heaters | Mechanical or pressure switches |
| Electrical Switches and Relays | Some chest freezers, pre-1972 washing machines, sump pumps, electric space heaters, clothes irons, silent light switches and automatic car hood and trunk lights | Mechanical or pressure switches |
| Contact Lens Solution | May contain Thimerosal or other mercury compounds | Mercury-free solutions |
| Nasal Spray | May contain Thimerosal/phenylmercuric acetate | Mercury-free solutions |
| Mercurochrome | An old time antiseptic for cuts and scrapes | New antiseptics do not contain mercury |
| High Intensity Discharge (HID) Lamps | Blue tinted automotive headlamps | Mercury-free HID |
| Neon Lamps | Except the colors red, orange and pink | Mercury-free neon colored lamps |
| Gauges | Barometers, manometers, blood pressure and vacuum gauges only with silver colored liquid | Mercury-free gauges |