There may be a silver lining for people with old mercury-switch thermostats kicking around their homes.

Mercury is a toxic metal that can accumulate in animal tissue and has been linked to neurological damage. Some of it ends up in landfills when people throw old thermostats out with the trash.

Many old thermostats contain mercury switches.(Ted Deller/CBC)

But under a new program run by SaskPower, people can drop off old thermostats at one of eight centres around the province. The Crown utility says it will remove the mercury from the switches and will either recycle it or dispose of it in an environmentally safe manner.

According to Bernie Bolen, SaskPower's supervisor of environmental programs, many people have replaced their mercury-switch thermostats with more efficient digital models. The concern is that if the discarded units end up in landfills, mercury might leach into the soil.

Although a typical thermostat contains only about three grams of mercury, even small amounts are of concern, Bolen said.

SaskPower isn't taking thermostats that are leaking mercury, but intact models can be dropped off in Regina, Saskatoon, Prince Albert, North Battleford, Yorkton, Moose Jaw, Swift Current and Weyburn.

The program could also help SaskPower reach its own mercury-reduction targets.

Every year, SaskPower's coal-fired power plants put several hundred kilograms of mercury into the atmosphere. Mercury is a natural byproduct when lignite coal is burned.

The goverment of Saskatchewan has pledged to cut its power-plant mercury emissions by 40 per cent.

• FROM JUNE 30, 2005: SaskPower told to cut mercury emissions 40%

Bolen said the SaskPower hopes the mercury it collects through the new program can be used as an "offset" from the requirements, but the details have yet to be worked out.