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How to Recycle Digital Thermometers
Check local acceptanceMinimal for the device; the battery is the main hazardous component worth separatingLast reviewed October 4, 2026
Quick answer
Digital thermometers have no mercury, so they don't need hazardous-waste handling. Pull the battery and recycle it separately through a battery drop-off, then recycle or donate the thermometer body as small electronics rather than trashing it. Before you go, confirm that a local recycling center accepts the material in its current condition.
- Recycling route
- Check locally
- Typical value
- Minimal for the device; the battery is the main hazardous component worth separating
Battery-powered electronic thermometers, including oral, ear, forehead, and non-contact infrared models. These are small e-waste items, not a mercury hazard like glass thermometers.
Where to Recycle
- Battery take-back programs (Call2Recycle, some retailers) for the battery
- Municipal e-waste collection events for the device itself
- Health clinic or school donation programs, if the unit still works
How to Prepare
- 1Remove the battery, usually a button cell, and recycle it through a battery take-back program like Call2Recycle or a retailer drop-off
- 2Wipe the thermometer down with alcohol-based disinfectant
- 3If it still works, consider donating it to a clinic or school health office
- 4If it doesn't work, take it to a municipal e-waste drop-off rather than the trash
Special Instructions
Don't confuse this with a glass mercury thermometer. Digital thermometers contain no mercury, so they don't need household hazardous waste handling; they're a small electronics and battery disposal item instead. If you searched for mercury thermometer recycling, use the separate mercury thermometer guide linked below. A glass liquid-column thermometer is a different item from a digital sensor thermometer. Do not open an unidentified older device to inspect its contents; ask the local household hazardous-waste program about it. For a digital model, check whether the battery is removable according to the manufacturer and whether the electronics collector accepts this small device.
Environmental Impact
The device itself is mostly plastic with a small circuit board, so material recovery value is limited, but keeping the button-cell battery out of household trash matters more; batteries can start fires in waste and recycling equipment if crushed.
Official guidance and resources
Accepted items and drop-off rules can vary by location. Check the destination before you go.
What’s Accepted
Accepted
- Digital oral and rectal thermometers
- Infrared ear and forehead thermometers
- Non-contact infrared thermometers
Not Accepted
- Glass mercury thermometers (require hazardous waste disposal instead)
Donation & Take‑Back Options
Estimated value: Minimal for the device; the battery is the main hazardous component worth separating
Hazardous Components
- Button-cell battery (fire and chemical risk if crushed or landfilled)
FAQs
Do digital thermometers contain mercury?
No. That's the key difference from older glass thermometers. Digital models use an electronic sensor, not mercury, so they don't need hazardous-waste handling.
Can I throw a digital thermometer in the trash?
Better not to, mainly because of the battery. Remove it and recycle it separately, then recycle the thermometer body as small electronics if a drop-off is available.
Where can I recycle a mercury thermometer instead?
Use a household hazardous-waste or mercury take-back program that explicitly accepts thermometers. Keep an intact glass thermometer protected from breakage. A mercury thermometer does not belong in a digital-device electronics bin; see our separate mercury thermometer guide for collection and broken-device guidance.
Related recycling guides
- How to recycle Mercury Thermometers
- How to recycle Wheelchairs and Mobility Aids
- How to recycle CPAP Machines and Accessories
- How to recycle Blood Pressure Monitors
- How to recycle Hearing Aids
- How to recycle Medical Plastics
- How to recycle Contact Lenses and Cases
- How to recycle X-ray Films
- How to recycle Medical Packaging
- How to recycle Prosthetics and Medical Implants
Recycle digital thermometers
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