The mercury program: mercury's toxicity is prompting associations, environmental groups and communities across North America to address the recovery of this heavy metal from end-of-life automobiles - Environmental Compliance

Recycling Today, March, 2002 by DeAnne Toto

Until recently, mercury, the mutable heavy metal, was the common element used in convenience lighting and anti-lock breaking systems in automobiles. The mercury switch, a small metal or glass capsule at the base of the light socket, poses little health concern to consumers during the functional life of the automobiles. However, the switch is sometimes shredded along with the end-of-life car body, and the resulting ferrous scrap is sent off to steel mills. The mercury can then be released into the environment through the steel mills' stacks.

Jeff Gearhart of the Ecology Center, an environmetal group based in Ann Arbor, Mich., says the primary sources of mercury in the environment are coal burning power plants and municipal waste incineration, although a study released by the Ecology Center in January 2001 identified the steel industry as a significant source of mercury emissions.

SOURCES OF MERCURY

"Previously, the steel industry was thought to be an insignificant source of mercury to the environment. Probably in the last two to four years there's been some more extensive emissions testing on the steel industry that has actually begun to document the fact that we do have significant mercury throughput through the industry," Gearhart says.

"We did some mass balance work as part of the report that showed that the auto industry is the primary contributor to those emissions from the steel industry," he continues. "They are not the only one, and we've acknowledged that. White goods, appliances and industrial equipment that contains mercury-containing devices also contribute [emissions]. But we believe the automotive switches are the primary contributor."

Gearhart says that once mercury is released into the air it is deposited into bodies of water and ultimately ends up accumulating in fish. He says that mercury "is persistent in the environment. It doesn't break down. Because of that, it actually bio-accumulates in the fat tissue." This bio-accumulation in fish has lead to consumption advisories, particularly across the Great Lakes states, Gearhart says.

Mercury can cause developmental defects when consumed by children or pregnant woman. It is toxic to the nervous system and a suspected carcinogen, Gearhart says.

Tracy Mattson, director of environmental compliance for the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries Inc. (ISRI), Washington, says as little as one gram of mercury can cause a significant problem for a 20-acre lake. "That is why we believe that this is so important that it has to be managed properly," Mattson says.

COALESCING EFFORTS

The Partnership for Mercury Free Vehicles, a coalition that combines representatives from the steel and recycling industries as well as those from environmental organizations, is pursuing a system to collect mercury switches from automobiles prior to their being shredded for recycling. The partnership includes ISRI; the Ecology Center; the Automotive Recyclers Association, Fairfax, Va.; the Steel Manufacturers Association, Washington; the Steel Recycling Institute, Pittsburgh; Environmental Defense, New York City; Great Lakes United, Buffalo, N.Y.; Clean Production Network, Lowell, Mass.; and Clean Car Campaign, Ann Arbor, Mich.

Mattson says, "ISRI is working with a partnership because it's an issue bigger than ISRI. It just doesn't affect the scrap industry. It affects everyone who is involved in vehicle recycling as well as the public. That's why you see the environmental groups involved."

She adds that auto dismantlers cannot solely address the mercury problem; a comprehensive solution is required. "States are really taking the lead right now in regard to legislation to address not only mercury in vehicles but in other products."

Gearhart says, "The partnership has developed a piece of model state legislation that we are promoting as a way to deal with the automotive mercury issues at the state level. The key part of that legislation is requiring producer responsibility from the automakers to help finance and recover the mercury switches that are out there in existing vehicles."

In 1995 the auto industry pledged to phase out mercury switches from automobiles. However, an estimated 215 to 250 million mercury switches -- 172 to 200 metric tons of mercury -- are in vehicles presently on the road, according to "Toxics in Vehicles: Mercury," a study conducted by the Ecology Center, Great Lakes United and the University of Tennessee Center for Clean Products and Clean Technologies and released in January 2001.

Mattson says, "not only do you have the scrap industry interested and concerned about this issue, but you have the states, and you have the environmental groups interested. You have the steel folks worried about what this could eventually be doing to their material. And so they are very interested in pursuing a solution."

The solution proposed by ISRI and supported by the Partnership for Mercury Free Vehicles is comprised of five principles:

* Recovery, Collection and Information -- End-of-life and in-use strategies are included in the collection and recovery programs, which target a 90 percent recovery rate for mercury switches. Automakers are called on to take financial and organizational responsibility for collection efforts, which includes collection, transportation and recycling or disposal of devices containing mercury; information on the uses and locations of the switches as well as removal and replacement instructions; and development of a tracking system to monitor the collection program.