Plans for the City of Springdale Health Department Mercury Thermometer Exchange Program are heating up and residents are beginning to "Catch the Fever". May is Mercury Month in Hamilton County as local health and environmental leaders offer the Mercury Thermometer Exchange Program throughout the month with the goal of dramatically reducing mercury in the home. From May 1 - 31, 2004, City of Springdale residents and employees are encouraged to "Catch the Fever" by bringing their mercury thermometer to designated sites around the county where they can exchange them, at no cost, for a digital thermometer*.

Important information to note when exchanging your mercury thermometer:

• Only mercury thermometers should be exchanged. If you have mercury in another form, call the Mercury Hotline at (513) 946-7788 to arrange for removal.

• Mercury thermometers should be double-bagged. To help ensure safety, all mercury thermometers should be placed inside two plastic baggies (preferably in sealed baggies) when they are brought to an exchange site.

• The City of Springdale Health Department is a designated Mercury Thermometer Exchange Program drop off spot from May 1 – 31, 2004, Monday – Friday, 8:00am to 5:00 pm . The exchange program will be offered at 13 other locations around the county. You can get site information on the Mercury Hotline at 946-7788.

Mercury is an element that can pose a health and environmental hazard. In its elemental form, mercury is a silvery liquid metal at room temperature. As a colorless, odorless, and tasteless vapor it can travel long distances and produce adverse health effects. Short term exposure to mercury or mercury vapors can lead to nausea, shortness of breath, severe headaches, and fatigue. High exposure may cause vision, speech and hearing impairment, respiratory problems, and even death.

For more information on the Mercury Thermometer Exchange Program, or if you have mercury in a form other than a fever thermometer and would like to arrange for its removal, please call the Mercury Hotline at (513) 946-7788.

* The thermometer exchange offer is valid while digital thermometer supplies last.