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Campaign to Remove Mercury Switches from Cars
Bailey Mylleville
NEWMOA Breaking the Mercury Cycle Conference
May 1-3, 2002
Clean Car Campaign
A Collaboration Between:
• Ecology Center
• Environmental Defense
• Great Lakes United
• Mercury Policy Project
• Michigan Environmental Council
• Union of Concerned Scientists
• American Council for an Energy
Efficient
Economy
The Clean Car Campaign Embodies the Principles of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) • Manufacturers responsibility for product life cycle impacts • EPR forges the critical link between the end-of-life products and product design
• Responsibility of products throughout their lifecycle will reduce toxicity of products and increase recyclability
Strategic Research
Mercury in Fleet
• 11.2 tons used in U.S. vehicles in 1996
• 150 million switches now on the road
Electric Arc Furnaces
• 120 U.S. facilities• Up to 10 tons of mercury released
each year
Mercury Auto Facts • Each switch contains approximately one gram of mercury.
• These switches are not collected when cars are retired and end up remaining adhered to the steel, which is sent to steel reprocessing centers.
Mercury Auto Facts (cont’d) • An estimated 5.3 – 6.7 metric tons of mercury were used in U.S. produced 2000 automotive models.
• The entire North American fleet of approximately 225 million vehicles, puts an estimated 164 to 191 metric tons of mercury on the road.
Auto Mercury Applications
Convenience Lighting
“Most” pre-1995 hood and truck lights
Other
HID HeadlampsNavigational displaysBacklit instrumentsFamily entertainment systems
Mercury Auto Project • Significant amounts of mercury are still being used in vehicles, largely due to the use of mercury in lighting devices and anti-lock braking systems
• According to a 1996 white paper by the Society of Auto Engineers, mercury switches accounted for 99% of North American uses of mercury in automobiles
Mercury Proposed Switch Collection Program
• Combination of In-Use and End-of-Life Collection
• Goal of 90% Capture Rate
• Phase-out and labeling of all mercury-added components
Campaign Activities
• National Switch-the-Switch Events
• Working with State Attorney Generals
• Mercury-Free Vehicles Partnership
Goals for Auto Mercury Project • Raise public awareness about mercury use in vehicles • Producer responsibility for automakers to establish mercury switch removal and collection programs • Ultimate elimination of mercury use in vehicles
Resources Available
Campaign Web Page:www.cleancarcampaign.org
Workgroup Minutes& Survey ResultsEmail: [email protected]
Bailey Mylleville, Clean Production CoordinatorGreat Lakes UnitedPhone: (716) 886-0142 Fax: (716) 886 –0303