Certified Auto Recyclers
Many professional automotive recyclers use a certification program to attain and maintain compliance with environmental, safety and transportation rules applicable to salvage facilities. The Automotive Recyclers Association (ARA) Certified Auto Recyclers (CAR) program sets a standard of excellence as the path to compliance.
Regulatory Agency
Department of Ecology State of Washington
The Washington Department of Ecology has guidance for auto recyclers available at:
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 10 (Pacific Northwest) serving Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, and 271 Tribal Nations. https://www.epa.gov/aboutepa/epa-region-10-pacific-northwest
U.S. EPA, Region 10
Park Place Building
1200 Sixth Avenue, Suite 155
Seattle, WA 98101
206-553-1200 or 1-800-424-4372 (toll-free within AK, ID, OR, WA only). epa-seattle@epa.gov
Stormwater Regulation
Stormwater can pick up pollution from factories and businesses. Those contaminants are carried into waterways and harm fish and other aquatic life. The Industrial Stormwater General Permit (ISGP) helps industrial facilities comply with federal regulations that reduce pollution. We require most industrial sites in Washington to monitor, measure, and reduce stormwater pollution leaving their site.
The federal Clean Water Act's National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) has various permitting requirements based on different types of pollution discharges. Both NPDES and State Waste Discharge stormwater general permits aim to control pollution discharges to water.
Spill Reporting
National Response Center
If the hazardous condition involves the release of an EPA regulated material or an oil as defined by the EPA, the release may also need to be reported to the National Response Center at (800) 424-8802. Federal Reporting is required within 15 minutes of event occurrence or discovery.
The National Response Center (NRC) is a part of the federally established National Response System and staffed 24 hours a day by the U.S. Coast Guard. It is the designated federal point of contact for reporting all oil, chemical, radiological, biological and etiological discharges into the environment, anywhere in the United States and its territories.
Resources
Washington Department of Ecology partners with local city and county organizations that provide pollution prevention assistance (PPA) to businesses and organizations in their community. Our partners work specifically with businesses that qualify as small quantity generators (SQGs).
Pollution Prevention Resource Exchange (P2Rx™) http://www.p2rx.org/
P2Rx is a national partnership of regional pollution prevention information centers funded in part through grants from EPA. We build networks, deliver P2 information, and measure P2 program results.
The Pacific Northwest Pollution Prevention Resource Center (PPRC) is a nonprofit organization that is the Northwest’s leading source of high quality, unbiased pollution prevention (P2) information. PPRC works collaboratively with business, government, non-government organizations, and other sectors to promote environmental protection through pollution prevention. PPRC believes that environmental and economic vitality go hand in hand, and that both are necessary to protect the high quality of life enjoyed in EPA region 10 states of Washington, Idaho, Oregon and Alaska. http://pprc.org/
PPRC's projects include:
Spray Technique Analysis and Research (STAR®) and NESHAP training for painters and those that apply coatings, delivered both in English and Spanish https://www.pprc.org/spray-efficiency
Toxics reduction, including heavy metals reduction, like cadmium and zinc.
EcoBiz, environmental business certification program in Oregon for auto repair & body shops, landscapers, and car washes. https://ecobiz.org/
The following fact sheets are designed to assist automotive recyclers with operating their businesses and managing their wastes in compliance with the environmental laws in their state. Select from the list below.
