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[GreenYes] Maine Legislature passes important EPR bill today
- Subject: [GreenYes] Maine Legislature passes important EPR bill today
- From: Mike Garfield <michaelg@ecocenter.org>
- Date: Thu, 4 Apr 2002 17:34:45 -0500
Title: Maine Legislature passes important EPR bill
today
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Charles Griffith, Ecology Center,
734-663-2400 x116
Janet Kreizman, ISRI,
202-662-8527
MAINE PASSES BILL TO REMOVE TOXIC
MERCURY FROM VEHICLES
Industry-Environmental Partnership Praises Nation's First Law to
Require
Manufacturer Responsibility for Mercury Switch Recovery
(4 April, 2002 -- Augusta, Maine) The Partnership for
Mercury-Free Vehicles, a broad coalition of environmental
organizations and the industries involved in vehicle recycling, today
praised the Maine legislature's passage of the nation's first law to
mandate manufacturer responsibility for the removal of toxic mercury
from vehicles. The law requires auto makers to create a system
for removing and safely disposing of the mercury used in cars and
trucks.
"Maine has set the tone for the rest of the nation," said
Charles Griffith of the Michigan-based Ecology Center, who served on
the State of Maine Advisory Task Force. "This law will go a
long way toward eliminating one key source of mercury in our
environment, helping reduce the risk that this toxic substance will
cause serious developmental harm in fetuses and children."
The Maine law creates a manufacturer-funded system for removing and
disposing of mercury-added components, such as switches in hood and
trunk lights, before vehicles are crushed or shredded for recycling.
Currently, there is no such system, and many mercury switches remain
in the vehicles as they go through the recycling process, which can
potentially lead to environmental and health hazards.
Automakers opposed the legislation, and sought instead to create a
state-run system funded by fees on new and used car sales through
dealers. This amendment, along with other weakening provisions,
ultimately failed to gain enough votes. The bill now awaits the
governor's signature.
"The Maine legislature voted by a wide margin to hold the auto
makers accountable for mercury pollution from cars," said Michael
Belliveau, Toxics Project Director for the Natural Resources Council
of Maine. "As the state most downwind of mercury air
pollution sources, Maine's leadership makes good sense. Now
other states should follow the old political adage, 'As Maine goes, so
goes the nation,' so that manufacturers' responsibility for mercury
sweeps the nation."
Airborne mercury can travel hundreds of miles before being deposited
in lakes and on land. According to data from the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention, hundreds of thousands of babies born
each year are at risk from developmental problems due to mercury
exposure in the womb. Most states, including Maine, have issued
advisories against eating certain kinds of fish because of mercury
contamination.
"We in the recycling industry have long been concerned about the
use of potentially hazardous materials such as mercury in
automobiles," said Robin K. Wiener, President of the Institute of
Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI). "Maine's new auto
mercury law removes from the recycling equation a known public health
hazard and helps to ensure that the auto manufacturers share in the
responsibility for solving a problem created by their decision to use
mercury in the first place."
"This is an issue that has been created by the manufacturers, as
they have chosen to put mercury in their vehicles. To our="msowledge, auto makers have yet to disclose their historical uses of
mercury as well as specific models that contain mercury. Our
members simply cannot assume the significant responsibility for
disposing of these toxic substances," said Automotive Recyclers
Association (ARA) Executive Vice President Bill Steinkuller.
"Steel is America's most recycled material and autos its most
recycled product," said Bill Heenan, President of the Steel
Recycling Institute (SRI). "In order to keep the most
effective recycling infrastructure in America functioning, it must be
protected from contaminants. Maine's auto mercury law should
lead the way for the rest of the nation in ensuring automobiles
continue to be America's most recycled product."
Members of the Partnership for Mercury-Free Vehicles: Automotive
Recyclers Association, Clean Car Campaign, Clean Production Network,
Ecology Center (Michigan), Environmental Defense, Great Lakes United,
Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries, Inc., Mercury Policy Project,
Steel Manufacturers Association, and the Steel Recycling
Institute.
LD1921- An Act to Prevent Mercury Emissions when Recycling and
Disposing of Motor Vehicles
Major features of the bill include:
* Auto recyclers are required to remove
mercury switches and mercury headlamps from cars prior to being
crushed
* Effective January 1, 2003, automobile
manufacturers are required to establish consolidation centers for the
collection of mercury switches, pay a minimum of $1 bounty for each
switch turned in, and pay for transport and recycling of switches
collected according to universal waste rules
* Other auto-related businesess (dealers,
repair shops, etc.) have the option of participating in the mercury
switch removal and bounty program upon registering with DEP and
receiving universal waste training
* DEP will provide training and and
conduct educational outreach to promote switch removal
* Auto makers must provide information
and technical assistance to identify makes & models containing
mercury switches and enable their removal and recycling
* After January 1, 2003, mercury switches
are prohibited from being added to new cars sold in Maine
* A goal of 90 pounds of mercury removal
per year is established to guide program evaluation.
* Detailed reporting is required to track
program success and develop recommendations for program
improvement
For more information, visit:
http://www.cleancarcampaign.org
--
__________________
Mike Garfield
Director
Ecology Center
117 N. Division
Ann Arbor, MI 48104
(734) 761-3186 ext. 104
(734) 663-2414 (fax)
michaelg@ecocenter.org
www.ecocenter.org
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