The devastating effects of mercury on human health have recently gained attention on the international, national and local levels. Several bodies of water in Washington and King County have been listed as contaminated due to mercury pollution. In fact, an estimated 1,000 pounds of mercury enters the environment each year in King County alone. Washington State identified mercury as one of nine priority pollutants and is developing a state action plan for mercury before any of the other pollutants. To address this problem, the Local Hazardous Waste Management Program in King County (LHWMP) decided to launch a campaign to recycle mercury from consumer products.

Research conducted for the program determined that 43 percent of King County households had mercury thermometers in their homes. The County decided that removing these thermometers from homes should be the focus of the campaign, and set a goal of collecting 30,000 thermometers. PRR planned a month-long collection event designed to encourage residents to exchange their thermometers for new, less toxic digital thermometers. PRR and LHWMP created a promotional plan to encourage residents to participate in the exchange event, raise awareness, and teach people about proper disposal methods and recycling options. PRR recruited local retailers to participate in the thermometer take-back event. Forty-six pharmacies in the county participated in the program. PRR worked with the retailers and LHWMP to create promotional and point-of-purchase materials for the program. In addition, the program was promoted through a media relations and advertising campaign. The Great Mercury Thermometer Exchange collection event was a huge success, collecting 34,339 mercury thermometers from area residents. In addition, extensive positive media coverage of the program was secured. Stories ran on KOMO, KIRO, and KING TV, and high-profile articles appeared in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer and the Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce. In addition, nine short stories appeared in local print publications.