Safe Disposal of Broken Thermometers Laboratory thermometers, which contam appn~xirnatrly1.5 g of mercury, pose a disposal problem when broken. For obviousenvironmental reasons. [he hmken thermumeters ihuuld not be cavalierly discarded. At the same rime, fcw people would want to be re,pons~ble for saiely collectiug, storing, and handling these thermornerers unril enough have been accumulated for economical disposal. This storage problem was solved recently when our solvent supplier started shipping acetone in 5-gal., disposable plastic cans. These are ideal for storing thermometer waste. First, the plastic is rather inert, whereas mercury may attack soldered seams in some metal cans. Second, the cans come with a convenient screw top to seal them effectively hetween deposits. And finally, a little hit of vigorous shaking reduces most thermometers to short pieces of glass, thus making the waste comoad. When ahout half full. the container will yield a significant amount uf mercury f
