AB 2347 (PDF file, 152KB), signed into law on September 29, 2008, is known as the Mercury Thermostat Collection Act of 2008. The bill requires thermostat manufacturers to establish and maintain a take-back program for mercury-added thermostats. AB 2347 follows the mercury-added phase-out bill AB 1415 by targeting manufacturers which sold mercury-added thermostats before January 1, 2006.
Manufacturers have the option to create joint programs with other manufacturers as long as it meets the requirements of the bill. Manufacturers that make new thermostats for sale in the state are required to pick up most of the costs for the recycling program. Wholesalers and retailers also participate by providing convenient collection sites for contractors and homeowners returning thermostats. The bill allows consumers to return their waste thermostats to locations that sell new thermostats. See updated bill status or the California Product Stewardship Council’s AB 2347 Fact Sheet (PDF file, 19KB) for more information.