《How to Handle Mercury》.pdfVIP

Fact Sheet How to Handle Mercury Fact Sheet Month 2001 March 2005 Switches in Major Appliances For: Scrap metal recyclers This fact sheet explains how to remove and handle mercury switches before you crush or shred a major appliance. It supersedes the June 2004 fact sheet and includes reference to recent legislation that changes appliance recycler requirements. What are major appliances? A major appliance is a machine you have in your home or business, like a • washer or dryer • refrigerator, freezer • water heater • air-conditioner, or • dehumidifier • trash compactor • oven, stove, microwave Why is there mercury in major appliances? Mercury is a metal with special properties. • It is liquid at room temperature and conducts electricity. This makes it work well in tilt switches that control motors and pumps. The mercury is inside a small capsule that can shut off a major appliance or a light when it is tilted. • It expands when heated. This makes it perfect to use in flame sensors for pilot lights that are found in many major gas appliances. The mercury is in a wire tube close to the pilot light. If the pilot light goes out, the mercury cools and closes the gas safety valve.