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Mercury Switch Recovery Program Celebrates One-Year Anniversary
09/28/2007 - The National Vehicle Mercury Switch Recovery Program celebrates its one-year anniversary this month with the release of the Program’s 2006-2007 Annual Report.
The National Vehicle Mercury Switch Recovery Program (NVMSRP) is celebrating its one-year anniversary this month with the release of the Program’s Annual Report for 2006-2007.
Supported by a collaborative partnership involving a diverse range of industry and environmental groups, the Program’s goal is to facilitate the voluntary removal of mercury switches that can be found in 2002 and older model automobiles. Removal of the mercury switches will benefit the environment in terms of mercury reduction. Program partners include the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI), Environmental Protection Agency, Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries, Automotive Recyclers Association and the Ecology Center, along with other auto and steel industry and environmental organizations.
“This is an important environmental issue for our industry,” said Jim Schultz, Vice President of Environment and Energy for AISI. “The automobile is America’s most recycled consumer good containing steel, so it is essential that we work as an industry to protect the scrap infrastructure from contaminants, such as mercury.”
The Annual Report explains the importance of the Program, and also highlights accomplishments of the partner organizations during the Program’s first year. As an example, since the beginning of the Program in August 2006, more than 635,000 mercury switches have been collected by approximately 5900 participants. As a result, partners of the Program have prevented almost 1400 pounds of mercury from being released into the environment. In addition, mercury switch removal programs are now operational in all 50 states. For more information on the number of switches collected to date, visit www.elvsolutions.org.
AISI currently has fourteen member companies that are active participants in the Program. Participating steelmakers are working to educate and encourage their supply chain to participate in the Program, while at the same time taking steps to purchase scrap metal generated from participating dismantlers and recyclers that have removed the mercury-containing switches.
AISI and the other partnering organizations will continue to promote involvement during the second year of the Program, as indicated in the Report. Partners will also continue to work with one another to correct any areas of weakness and to improve awareness among the public. The Annual Report and partnership agreement are available for download at www.steel.org.
AISI serves as the voice of the North American steel industry in the public policy arena and advances the case for steel in the marketplace as the preferred material of choice. AISI also plays a lead role in the development and application of new steels and steelmaking technology. AISI is comprised of 31 member companies, including integrated and electric furnace steelmakers, and 130 associate and affiliate members who are suppliers to or customers of the steel industry.
