12-18-2016

’Tis the season for holiday greetings, but as you send and receive cards this year, keep in mind that musical greeting cards may contain mercury in their batteries.

Mercury is a hazardous material, harmful to both people and the environment, so make sure you don’t toss a musical card into the trash or recycling. First, remove the electronic musical device. Dispose of this as hazardous waste. Even if the batteries inside do not contain mercury, they still contain other substances that are dangerous if not disposed of properly. Second, put the empty paper card in with your curbside recycling.

When picking out cards, save your friends and the environment the hassle, and use e-cards or old-fashioned paper cards instead.