Thermostat Recycling Corp. announced that its sixth annual Big Man On Planet competition begins May 1, in partnership with Heating, Air-conditioning and Refrigeration Distributors International. BMOP will run through Oct. 31 and all HARDI wholesaler members are eligible to participate.

BMOP encourages HARDI members to promote TRC’s mercury thermostat collection program at their branches. To accommodate distributors of all sizes, three winning wholesalers will be determined as follows:

• Wholesaler who recycles the most pounds of mercury overall,
• Wholesaler who recycles the highest average pounds of mercury,
• Wholesaler with the highest branch participation rate (for distributors with more than 10 locations).

Additionally, a $500 store incentive will be awarded to the top three branch locations that recycle the most. Winners will be recognized at HARDI’s annual conference, Dec. 2-5 in Las Vegas.

“The HVAC wholesale channel continues to be our strongest ally,” said Ryan Kiscaden, TRC’s executive director. “BMOP has become our signature competition and continues to positively impact the collections for our program. It’s something industry professionals look forward to each year.”

“TRC provides an easy and convenient program for HARDI wholesalers to do their part in preventing mercury from reaching our ecosystems,” said HARDI CEO Talbot Gee. “Since TRC’s inception our members have helped to drive this friendly competition and I encourage our distributors to continue leading the program.”

HARDI distributors may sign up to compete in BMOP at www.thermostat-recycle.org/BMOP. For distributors not currently participating in TRC’s collection program, more information is available at www.thermostat-recycle.org, or by calling 888-266-0550.

Past winners include:

• 2016: Johnstone Supply, Gustave Larson, and Auer Steel
• 2015: Auer Steel, Johnson Supply, US Air Conditioning Distributors, and Johnstone Supply
• 2014: Corken Steel Products, Crescent Parts & Equipment, and Johnstone Supply
• 2013: Johnstone Supply
• 2012: Johnson Supply

For more information about TRC, or to find a mercury-containing thermostat recycling location, visit thermostat-recycle.org.

TRC was founded in 1998 as an industry-funded nonprofit. Membership consists of 31 manufacturers who either branded and sold mercury thermostats in the U.S. prior to their discontinuation in 2007, or produced devices that may replace mercury-containing thermostats.

With a network of more than 3,000 collection sites nationwide, TRC has recovered over 2.1 million thermostats, or 10 tons of mercury, to date. All costs to transport and properly dispose of recovered thermostats are assumed by TRC.