SFU EHS will swap your mercury thermometers with non-mercury alternatives for free.
Simon Fraser University is committed to eliminating non-essential uses of mercury and mercury-containing products. Eliminating even small amounts of mercury reduces the potential for mercury poisoning; the content of a single mercury thermometer can contaminate a twenty-acre lake. Mercury-free thermometers provide comparable accuracy and do not compromise teaching, research or patient care.
As part of this program, operable mercury thermometers can be exchanged for mercury-free alternative thermometers free of charge as specified in following exchange ratio:
| Mercury-Free Thermometer Type | VWR Cat # | Range | Exchange Ratio |
| Fisherbrand™ Red-Spirit™ No-Roll Laboratory Thermometers | 14-997 | -20°C to +110°C | 1:1 |
| Fisherbrand™ General Purpose Liquid-in-Glass Partial Immersion Thermometers | 13201555 | -10°C to +260°C | 1:1 |
This is a 1:1 swap (i.e. you don't get to keep your thermometer).
For thermometers with temperature ranges above 260°C, EHS is only able to swap these thermometers with the thermometers as listed in the table above (up to 260°C temp range). Contact labsafe@sfu.ca if you have any questions.
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