Restrictions on Sales of Mercury Fever Thermometers View a list of the updated ASTM standards.įor more information about phasing out industrial mercury thermometers, visit EPA's Phasing Out of Mercury Thermometers Used in Industrial and Laboratory Settings page. To date, multiple ASTM standards have been updated to approve the use of mercury-free alternatives for temperature measurement. Polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) waste disposal.The rule applies to certain regulations pertaining to: These changes provide flexibility to use alternatives to mercury-containing thermometers. In January 2012, EPA issued a final rule incorporating updated ASTM International (ASTM) standards into EPA regulations (PDF) (11 pp, 204 K, About PDF). Mercury thermometers may be used in many applications, including chemical experiments, water and acid baths, blood banks, ovens, and incubators. Educational and Medical Uses of Mercury Thermometers Learn more about how to tell if there is mercury in your fever thermometer. A non-toxic compound that looks similar to mercury.If the liquid in your thermometer bulb is silver, then the liquid might be:.If the liquid in the thermometer bulb is any color other than silver, it is not a mercury thermometer.If there is no liquid in your thermometer, for example, if it uses a metallic strip or coil to measure temperature (like most meat thermometers do), it is not a mercury thermometer.Basal temperature thermometers (used to track slight changes in body temperature), containing about 2.25 grams of mercury.

Oral/rectal/baby thermometers, containing about 0.61 grams of mercury.

There are two general types of mercury thermometers that measure body temperature: They are common in many households, schools, and medical facilities. Mercury fever thermometers are made of glass the size of a straw, with a silvery-white liquid inside.

Truetell thermometer