FAQs
| What is the Switch the 'Stat program? |
| Switch the 'Stat is Summerhill Impact’s thermostat exchange program. It encourages the residential and commercial installation of energy-efficient programmable thermostats and responsibly recovers and recycles older mercury-containing thermostats. |
| Why is Switch the 'Stat important? |
| Switching to newer, more energy-efficient programmable thermostats significantly reduces energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. In addition, we keep older mercury-containing thermostats from entering the landfill and responsibly recycle them to prevent mercury from contaminating our air, soil, and water. |
| How does Switch the 'Stat work? |
| Summerhill Impact, in partnership with the Heating Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Institute of Canada (HRAI), works with over 1,300 heating and cooling contractors to encourage their residential and commercial customers to switch to energy-efficient programmable thermostats and to safely collect the older mercury-containing thermostats once they are replaced. |
| What happens to the collected mercury-containing thermostats? |
| Summerhill Impact provides each participating contractor with collection kits for the mercury-containing thermostats they remove for their customers. Once collection kits are full, Purolator Courier picks them up and delivers them (at no cost to the contractor) to Aevitas in Ayr, Ontario. At Aevitas, the thermostats are dismantled, plastics and metals are recycled, the glass mercury bulbs are safely removed, and the collected mercury is safely stored. |
| Who are the program partners? |
| The Heating Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Institute of Canada (HRAI) promotes, encourages and facilitates the participation of their members as well as other heating and cooling contractors. Aevitas safely dismantles the thermostats, stores the mercury, and provides Summerhill Impact with collection data and reports. |
| Who funds the program? |
| Switch the ‘Stat is funded by the manufacturers and distributors that sell and/or import or have historically sold and/or imported mercury-containing thermostats into Ontario and British Columbia. |
| What are the program results to date? |
| As of April 2010, Switch the 'Stat has collected more than 46,000 mercury-containing thermostat switches, which represents the safe recovery and storage of over 116 kilograms of mercury. |
| Where does Switch the 'Stat operate? |
| Currently, Switch the 'Stat operates throughout the Province of Ontario but with planned expansion to other provinces. As of July 1st, 2010, Switch the ‘Stat will be fully operational in British Columbia! |
| How can I participate in Switch the 'Stat? |
| You can visit the Participating Contractors page to identify a contractor in your area and enlist their services to replace your old thermostat with a newer, more efficient programmable model. |
| How can I become a Switch the 'Stat contractor or wholesaler? |
| You can fill out our Registration Form to join the program. Summerhill Impact will send you a collection container and a pre-paid return Purolator waybill. |
| How much does it cost to participate? |
| There is no cost to participate in Switch the 'Stat either as a home owner, contractor or wholesaler. |
| Do new thermostats work as well as older, mercury-containing thermostats? |
| Even better! New programmable thermostats provide more control over the temperature of your home and the timing of your air-regulation system. You can save money on your utility bills by limiting air-conditioning and heating use while away from home. |
| What is mercury and why is it harmful? |
| Mercury is a potent and dangerous neurotoxin which is dangerous to the health of people and wildlife. Older mechanical thermostats can have 1-4 mercury switches, each containing approximately 2.5 grams of mercury. Just one gram of mercury can contaminate an eight-hectare lake to the point where the fish in that lake are not edible for one full year. |
| What is the risk of having a mercury-containing thermostat in my home? |
| A mercury-containing thermostat is not a direct threat to your health and safety as long as the glass housing for the mercury switch is intact. The risk to the environment and human health comes when end-of-life mercury thermostats are not disposed of responsibly. If an old thermostat is thrown out with regular household waste, the mercury ends up in landfill and contaminates our air, soil, and water. |
| What other everyday items contain mercury and what can I do about it? |
| Cars: Most pre-1999 vehicles contain between 1 and 3 grams of mercury. At the vehicle’s end-of-life, it is important for mercury-containing convenience light switches and automatic breaking assemblies to be properly removed and safely stored. Summerhill Impact also delivers the Switch Out program, which deals with precisely this problem.
Fluorescent light bulbs, electronics, thermometers, batteries, etc.: There are a number of household items that contain small amounts of mercury. For more information on the safe disposal of liquid mercury and household items that contain mercury, please contact your local municipalities’ hazardous waste office. For a list of products that contain mercury and for more information, please visit Environment Canada’s Mercury and the Environment website. |
| FAQ For Participating Contractors/Wholesalers |
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As a contractor/wholesaler, how do I get my full pail of thermostats picked up?
Each pail is sent with a pre-paid Purolator waybill. Call the number listed on the waybill (1-888-SHIP-123) and Purolator will pick it up at your location for free.
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What if I have lost/misplaced my Purolator waybill?
Please e-mail Waheema Asghar at wasghar@summerhillgroup.ca or call 416-922-9038 ext. 366 to request a replacement waybill. |
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How often are thermostat pails sent to contractors?
After we send the initial pail with resources, a replacement pail is only sent to contractors when a pail of thermostats is returned to our recycler (Aveitas). Aveitas reports collection results monthly with information on the contractors/wholesalers that have returned pails. Once we receive this report, we automatically send you a replacement pail. If you require a pail sooner, please e-mail Waheema Asghar at wasghar@summerhillgroup.ca or call 416-922-9038 ext. 366. |
Switch the 'Stat is brought to you by Summerhill Impact,
part of the Summerhill group of companies.
© Copyright Summerhill 2010