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Department of Ecology News Release - February 25, 2008
08-047
OLYMPIA – Automobile recyclers in Washington have collected from the hoods and trunks of scrap vehicles more than 45,000 light switches containing toxic mercury, preventing the equivalent of 100 pounds of this toxic chemical from entering the environment.
This total ranks Washington state fifth in the nation for recycling mercury-containing auto switches.
When mercury switches are not removed, mercury escapes into the atmosphere as vehicles are crushed and later melted down for re-use.
Mercury can evaporate into the air and then be deposited into water and soil. Fish collect mercury in their bodies. This in turn can be a source of mercury exposure to people who consume the fish. Children and fetuses are the most vulnerable to the effects of mercury. Exposure can affect learning and behavior later in life.
“Washington was one of the first states in the nation to establish a program to remove toxic mercury light switches from salvaged vehicles, and it’s an important effort in our overall strategy for keeping mercury out the environment,” said Darin Rice, who manages Ecology’s Hazardous Waste and Toxics Reduction program.
The Washington program started in June 2006 after Ecology signed an agreement with the Automotive Recyclers of Washington Association and End-of-Life Vehicle Solutions, which is an organization made up of vehicle manufacturers that used mercury switches. The agreement created a cooperative, voluntary, statewide program to collect mercury-containing switches.
“The mercury switch collection program is an outstanding example of a win-win industry-and-government partnership,” said Don Phelps, president of the Automotive Recyclers of Washington Association. “It has been a pleasure for the auto recycling industry to work with the Department of Ecology on this program.”
Auto recyclers include dismantlers, wrecking yards and scrap metal processors.
The program is designed to prevent mercury releases to the environment that occur when recyclers crush, shred and melt vehicles. The mercury switches are one of the nation’s largest sources of mercury contamination. Mercury light switches were used until 2003 for convenience lights under hoods and in trunks, as well as in anti-lock braking systems.
Currently, 95 percent of the 200,000 end-of-life vehicles are recycled in Washington each year. All the aluminum, steel and other usable materials are recycled in new products to save resources.
Reducing toxic threats is one of Ecology’s five strategic priorities. Between 2001 and 2007, statewide mercury reduction efforts have resulted in preventing approximately 10,000 pounds of mercury from being released to the environment. This is being accomplished through the state’s Mercury Chemical Action Plan, which addresses the elimination, phase-out, collection and recycling of certain mercury-containing products.
Ecology is working in partnership with the state Department of Health, local governments, public health agencies and trade associations to reduce and eliminate those chemicals that pose significant health threats to protect the health of our residents and our environment.
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Media Contacts: Kathy Davis, Ecology media relations, 360-407-6149 Jan Brydsen, Ecology auto switch recycling program, 509-575-2477
For more information:
Auto Switches Website: http://www.ecy.wa.gov/mercury/auto/index_auto.html
Copyright © Washington State Department of Ecology. See http://www.ecy.wa.gov/copyright.html.
