TRC Changes Eligibility for 2017 BMOP Competition, Announces New Contest Categories

FORT WASHINGTON, Pa. – Thermostat Recycling Corp. is switching things up with its 2017 Big Man On Planet competition.

“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 its annual BMOP competition in partnership with Heating, Air-conditioning and Refrigeration Distributors International. Event organizers decided on the new protocol so more of their collection network could be recognized for their efforts in diverting mercury from the waste stream.

Participants who signed up, on their own, before the June 30 deadline, and have promoted the contest internally, are now eligible for the new Most Motivated Collection Partner (or BMOP Rock Star) category.

Also new this year is the Best Smack Talk Video category. Participants challenge the competitors by producing their own video and sending it to TRC by Sept. 1. Videos must be under one minute, fun and in good taste. Submissions will be sent to TRC’s entire contest distribution list, and posted on social media. The wholesaler with the best video is announced at the HARDI Annual Conference and receives a special prize.

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

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: 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). 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.

HARDI distributors may sign up to compete in all BMOP categories at www.thermostat-recycle.org/BMOP. For distributors not currently participating in TRC’s collection program, visit: www.thermostat-recycle.org or call 888-266-0550.