Thermostat Recycling Corp. is changing eligibility requirements for its 2017 Big Man On Planet competition, which recognizes companies for their efforts in mercury thermostat collections.

“Now in our sixth year, we’re creating greater excitement by expanding the BMOP playing field,” said Ryan Kiscaden, TRC’s executive director. “For the first time ever, we’re automatically enrolling all TRC HVAC wholesale distributors who are also members of HARDI.”

TRC runs the annual competition in partnership with Heating, Air-conditioning and Refrigeration Distributors International. Organizers for the event said they adjusted eligibility requirements so more of their collection networks could be recognized for their efforts in diverting mercury from the waste stream.

“By making every TRC/HARDI wholesale distributor eligible for the title, our previous champions are going to have to work extra hard to stay on top,” Kiscaden added. 

In addition, participants who signed up before the June 30 deadline and have promoted the contest internally are now eligible for the new Most Motivated Collection Partner category. 

“These stores go out of their way to motivate their employees by offering additional incentives,” Kiscaden said. “Because of them, we see an uptick in mercury thermostat collections that always coincide with the contest.”

Three winning HVAC wholesalers will be recognized as part of these individual achievements: the one that recycles the most pounds of mercury overall, the one that recycles the highest average pounds of mercury, and the one with the highest branch participation rate for distributors with more than 10 locations.

Winners of the competition and the new Best Smack Talk Video category will be announced at HARDI’s annual competition Dec. 2-5 in Las Vegas.

“While BMOP makes things fun, the real point behind the competition is to increase collections of mercury thermostats,” Kiscaden said. “We believe these improvements to the competition will help us see greater numbers than ever before.”

For more information on the competition, visit www.thermostat-recycle.org/BMOP.