Maine Mercury Thermostat Manufacturers Must Recycle

"Certainly, I don't see us closing our door on another company simply because it would be an advantage to the TRC to have more members," he said. "And it would further this whole cause of getting these things out of the waste stream."

It also makes sense for other manufacturers to join TRC's established program rather than start their own.

"It's up and running, established, growing. There'd be no reason for them to not join," Kohorst said.

Gov. John Baldacci signed the law April 14 to help reduce mercury emissions from thermostats. The law mandates all mercury thermostats be recycled and establishes a minimum value of $5, which could come in the form of a rebate for a new thermostat, for each one returned.

The law requires contractors as well as do-it-yourselfers to return old mercury thermostats removed during construction or renovations. A previous Maine law banned the sale of new mercury thermostats in the state as of January.

Maine's mandate is unique, but California, Vermont and Washington also have banned the sale of mercury thermostats.

Maryland and Massachusetts have proposed bans and New York and Connecticut have laws phasing out the sale of mercury thermostats. Oregon law prohibits the installation of mercury thermostats in commercial and residential buildings.