Environmental Compliance for Automotive Recyclers (ECAR) —is a website designed by and for people in the automotive recycling business.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has sponsored partnerships with industry, academic institutions, environmental groups, and other agencies to launch 15 sector-specific Compliance Assistance Centers (Centers). In 2002, EPA partnered with ARA to develop ECAR into such a compliance assistance center for the automobile recycling industry.  Other centers address issues/industries related to agriculture, auto repair, construction, metal finishing, printing, paints, transportation, border compliance, health care, and chemical processing. For more background information on the centers, see http://www.assistancecenters.net/about/.

Professional automotive recyclers can use ECAR to find answers to questions such as:

• How do I know what an environmental inspector looks for at my facility?
• How can I better follow the rules so as not to jeopardize my business?
• If changes are necessary, can I actually save money by incorporating some of these modifications?

Visitors to ECAR also will find:

• Updates on relevant regulatory developments
• Compliance tools and training
• A place to ask questions and get answers
• Databases on technologies and techniques
• Links to other assistance providers, vendors, and suppliers
• State Resource Locators for a wide range of topics to help find important state-specific environmental compliance information

To navigate your specific state information, select your state, and then look for the topic area of interest to you. Topic areas are arranged the way you might find them in a recycling yard. You will first see a picture of the outside of the yard—click on the picture to find out about typical outside activities (such as the vehicle crusher), or click on a building to see details of what operations are carried out inside them. Each selection will take you to a fact sheet with a plain language explanation of the rules, some suggestions on the most efficient and economical way to comply with the rules, and links to more information if you need it.

ECAR is a cooperative effort between the Automotive Recyclers Association and the National Center for Manufacturing Sciences. The Environmental Protection Agency funds this effort, making it possible to provide this service to the automotive recycling industry at no cost to the user.

If you have any suggestions for making this site more useful, please contact us. We would like to hear from you.

ARA Disclaimer
The contents of this site do not necessarily imply an opinion on the part of staff, officers or members of the association. ARA does not make any warranty, express or implied, with respect to the use of the links provided or guarantee the accuracy, completeness, usefulness or adequacy of any resources, information, apparatus, product, or process available at or from ARA. The government regulations and statutory references provided on this site pertaining to automotive recycling issues are subject to revision and interpretation. Unless otherwise noted, we make no representation, warranty or claim that the information available here is current or accurate.

Disclaimer of Endorsement
Reference to any specific commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by ARA.

The views and opinions of document authors do not necessarily state or reflect those of ARA, and shall not be used for advertising or product endorsement purposes.

Use of Web Links
The web links provided on this site are intended solely as resources to provide assistance regarding compliance with environmental regulations. ARA reserves the right to edit and/or remove web links submitted by users that do not meet the requirement. ARA neither endorses nor assumes responsibility for the accuracy, content, quality, or completeness of web-linked materials. To ensure full compliance with the law, the users should refer to the actual requirements of the law and use the links provided on this site as aids to compliance only. ARA is not liable for any inaccuracies, defamatory, offensive, or illegal materials stored on other web sites, and the risk of injury from viewing, hearing, downloading, or showing such materials rests entirely with the user.

Disclaimer of Duty to Continue Providing Data
Due to the dynamic nature of the Internet, resources that are free and publicly available one day may require a fee or restricted access the next, and the location of items may change as menus, homepages, and files are reorganized. The user expressly agrees that use of this website is at the user's sole risk. ARA does not warrant that the service will be uninterrupted or error free. The documents and related graphics published on this server could contain technical inaccuracies or typographical errors. Changes are periodically added to the information herein.

Warranties, Accuracy/Use of Data, Computer Viruses
Although the data found using this site have been produced and processed from sources believed to be reliable, no warranty, expressed or implied, is made regarding accuracy, adequacy, completeness, legality, reliability or usefulness of any information. This disclaimer applies to both isolated and aggregate uses of the information. ARA provides this information on an “as is” basis. All warranties of any kind, express or implied, including but not limited to the implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, freedom from contamination by computer viruses and non-infringement of proprietary rights are disclaimed. Changes may be periodically made to the information herein; these changes may or may not be incorporated in any new version of the site.

IF YOU DO NOT AGREE TO OR UNDERSTAND ANY OR ALL OF THESE TERMS, PLEASE DO NOT USE THESE WEB PAGES