HARDI is the largest trade association of HVACR distributors in the U.S.

“We have enormous appreciation and praise for our partners at HARDI for their steadfast commitment to collecting mercury-containing thermostats,” said Danielle Myers, the TRC executive director, in a press release. “Their unwavering dedication and resilience are pivotal in advancing our shared mission of fostering a cleaner environment, thermostat by thermostat.”

The BMOP competition officially began May 1 and runs through Thursday, Oct. 31. HARDI members are automatically enrolled upon returning thermostats collected through TRC’s designated bins, which are placed at the branch locations of HARDI members nationwide. With branches in every state, HARDI members offer convenient drop-off points for HVACR contractors, enabling easy disposal of mercury thermostats.

The Banish Mercury Off the Planet contest, previously known as the Big Man on Planet, acknowledges winners across three distinct categories: 1) the distributor that recycles the highest poundage of mercury overall; 2) the distributor that collects the highest average pounds of mercury per branch location; and, 3) the distributor that demonstrates the highest participation rate (for distributors with over 10 locations).

TRC will publicly recognize the winners of each category at HARDI’s annual conference, scheduled for December in Atlanta, Georgia.