ANYTOWN, USA – Medical Health Inc. employees took part in the careful elimination of their own old, environmentally dangerous mercury-filled thermometers during the highly publicized "Thermometer Exchange Program."

On May 9^th, employees from Medical Health Inc.’s five hospitals traded in more than 700 glass thermometers for free digital thermometers.

"We are pleased with the way our own employees set an example for our communities by participating in this program to safely discard old mercury-filled thermometers," said Medical Health Inc.’s President John Smith. "Mercury is an environmental hazard, and these thermometers should be disposed of properly."

"We have pledged to become mercury free by 2005 system-wide," added Smith. "Our five hospitals have also pledged to eventually eliminate old blood pressure cuffs and other devices containing mercury."

The half-gram of mercury found in many glass thermometers is highly toxic to the nervous system. Mercury’s impact on the developing brain can affect how we think, speak, see, hear and move. Even this small amount of mercury in a twenty-acre lake is enough to trigger fish consumption advisories because of mercury levels in the fish. Most human exposure to mercury occurs from eating fish.

Medical Health Inc.’s Thermometer Exchange Program offered employees information on mercury toxicity and directions on how to safely wrap and transport old thermometers to work. During the May 9^th program, thermometers were exchanged outside each hospital’s cafeteria from 6 A.M. to 6 P.M., allowing a full day to turn in the old thermometers for new ones. Digital thermometers are safer because they contain only a very small amount of mercury in a button battery. Consumers should recycle the battery at the end of its useful life.

Of the more than 700 thermometers turned in, employees with Hospital One exchanged 110; Hospital Two employees exchanged 150; Hospital Three, 204; Hospital Four, 178; and Hospital Five, 74.