DEP Encourages Auto-Recyclers to Take Advantage of the ’48-Second Rule’

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (“DEP”) today, October 23, 2008, issued an encouragemnt for Florida auto recyclers to participate in the National Vehicle Mercury Switch Recovery Program to receive an enhanced financial incentive. 

The DEP’s press release is reprinted below for your review.

 

Should you have any questions or comments, please do not hesitate to contact Colodny Fass.

 

DEP ENCOURAGES AUTO-RECYCLERS TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE ’48-SECOND RULE’

Recycling mercury switches from scrap vehicles results in increased incentives and pollution prevention

 

TALLAHASSEE–The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is encouraging Florida auto recyclers to participate in the National Vehicle Mercury Switch Recovery Program (NVMSRP) to receive an enhanced financial incentive. In August, the NVMSRP increased its reward for mercury switches, which can be removed in just 48 seconds, from $1 to $4. It is also offering $6 for anti-lock brake system (ABS) modules containing mercury switches.

“Vehicle recyclers and dismantlers in Florida can play a critical role in reducing a significant source of mercury air emissions,” said Mary Jean Yon, Director of DEP’s Division of Waste Management.

“A potential environmental hazard can be avoided in the mere seconds it takes to remove a convenience lighting switch from scrap vehicles prior to recycling them.”

In 2006, DEP contacted Florida auto recyclers inviting them to join the national program and remove mercurycontaining light switches from scrap vehicles before they are flattened, shredded and melted to make new steel. To date, the Florida automotive recycling industry has recovered more than 64,000 mercury switches, preventing more than 141 pounds of mercury from entering the environment.

“It’s easy to do the right thing. We have been proactively removing and collecting mercury switches from vehicles that we process for a number of years,” said Dennis Gardner, Plant Manager at LKQ-Daytona auto salvage yard. “The mercury switch recovery program has really gained momentum over the last few years and it’s exciting to see Florida recyclers’ participating by getting registered with the ELVS program and pulling switches. The new increase in the reward to $4 will give everyone even more reason to participate.”

As part of the recovery program, the End of Life Vehicle Solutions Corporation (ELVS), an organization created by the auto industry, sends collection buckets to the Florida vehicle recyclers and dismantlers who participate in the mercury switch collection program. ELVS then arranges for the collected mercury switches to be shipped and recycled at no cost. The payments for the switches, which are distributed from a $4 million fund established by the auto industry, are paid to individual dismantlers within 60 to 90 days. Monies are disbursed on a first-come, first-serve basis throughout a three-year period.

The pellet-sized mercury switches can be found in convenience lights in trunks and hoods, as well as some anti-lock brakes, of certain pre-2002 vehicles. Today, 35 million mercury switches are estimated to be in vehicles nationwide.

Air emissions are considered the primary source of mercury that ultimately concentrates in fish as methylmercury, and through fish consumption, poses risks to human health including damage to the nervous system of unborn babies and young children. Recognizing the environmental and health hazards of mercury, DEP has conducted extensive research into the sources of mercury emissions and instituted advanced technology controls, leading to decreased mercury emissions from major sources over the last 10 years.

Removing mercury switches from scrap vehicles prior to recycling can further eliminate mercury from the environment.

For more information, visit: http://www.elvsolutions.org or http://www.dep.state.fl.us/waste/categories/mercury/pages/MercurySwitchRecoveryFromScrapVehicles.htm.

The Energy, Climate Change and Economic Security Act of 2008 (House Bill 7135) signed by Governor Charlie Crist established a new statewide recycling goal of 75 percent to be achieved by 2020. Within the legislation, DEP is directed to develop a program to achieve this goal and submit it to the Legislature for consideration by January 1, 2010. Understanding that public input will be critical to achieving the goal, DEP established a Web forum to gather stakeholder input that could help achieve the 75 percent goal. The Web forum can be accessed by visiting DEP’s Web site at http://www.dep.state.fl.us/waste/recyclinggoal75.