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Common Questions
How did the idea of the program come up?
It is the goal of the Environmental Health and Safety to maintain a safe environment for students and employees. Eliminating mercury as an occupational and environmental hazard helps to accomplish that goal.
What will happen with the Mercury Thermometers after the exchange?
The supplier of the new non-toxic thermometers will pack and transport the mercury thermometers to a Safety Waste Disposal Company for recycling and/or disposal.
What is the nature and type of replacement of new thermometers?
The new thermometers are filled with non-toxic liquid called Enviro-Safe®, which is biodegradable. The replacements have permanently fused markings. The accuracy offered from the thermometers is guaranteed and follows the standards of the National Institute of Standard and Technology (NIST) and Deutscher Kalibrierdienst (DKD).
What is the difference between coated mercury thermometers and non-coated ones?
Teflon® coated mercury thermometers seal in the mercury; so that even when broken, mercury will not be released. When non-coated non-mercury thermometers are broken, the material released is non-toxic.
Who is going to pay for the replacement of the thermometers?
The Environmental Health and Safety Department at Penn State will provide one to one replacements at no cost for most non-mercury thermometer models.
I need extremely good accuracy in the readings that only Mercury Thermometers can give me, What can I do?
Only where no alternative is available will Mercury thermometers be considered and those thermometers must be coated in teflon®.
I have already scheduled all my lab classes. I can not be without thermometers during the semester. When the replacement will be scheduled?
We will contact you to do the replacement simultaneously so that you will not be without your thermometers any single day. In order to do this efficiently, we ask you to provide the complete information asked in the Form of Exchange Request.
If you have questions or comments please fax us at 863-7427 or contact us by email at sapanski@ehs.psu.edu
We thank you for your support and cooperation to make Penn State a safer University!
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