ECAR Fact Sheet for Florida
Air Bag Cartridges
Regulations
Self-Audit Checklist
Best Management Practices
Contacts
Related ECAR Fact Sheets
Other Relevant Resources
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The
following fact sheet was prepared by the ECAR Center staff. Once
prepared, each ECAR Center fact sheet undergoes a review process
with the applicable state environmental agency(ies). You can check
on the status of the review process here.
Please read the disclaimer on the status page. While we have tried
to present a summary of the essential information on this topic,
you should be aware that other items, such as local regulations,
may apply to you.
What You Need to Know
Air
bags are compromises. Cars are equipped with them in order
to try to make the best of a very bad situation (a collision).
But the air bag cartridges contain an explosive chemical, sodium
azide. If the air bag has not been deployed, the material
is dangerous to handle. It can explode, it can cause burns
if it gets on unprotected skin, and it can severely irritate the
lungs if inhaled.
If
the air bags have been deployed, the material is no longer dangerous,
and you will not have to take special precautions. But many
vehicles now contain multiple air bags (side air bags, for example).
Any undeployed air bags must be removed from the vehicle.
Once
you have removed the intact cartridges, you can send them to a reclamation
facility. If you do, you will not have to treat them as a hazardous waste. However,
if you send them offsite for disposal, you will have to follow
the hazardous waste rules.
Regulations
Air bag cartridges that have not been deployed are hazardous waste unless they are reclaimed. If they are reclaimed, they are not hazardous waste.
Store non-deployed air bag units indoors, protected from the weather until they can be resold or disposed of properly. Non-deployed air bags are valuable, so do not deploy unless necessary.
If the air bags have been deployed, the material is no longer dangerous, and you will not have to take special precautions. Many vehicles now contain multiple air bags (side air bags, for example).
Links
to the Regulations. Use the following links to view the regulations
pertaining to hazardous waste.
Part
261 - Identification and Listing of Hazardous Waste
Part
262 - Standards Applicable to Generators of Hazardous Waste
Self-Audit
Checklist
When
an inspector comes to your facility, there are certain things they
check to see if you are in compliance with environmental regulations.
It makes good sense for you to perform a "self-audit"
and catch and correct problems before they result in penalties.
Also, there are some compliance incentives associated with self-audits
(see Audit
Policy Page).
Use
the following list to audit your procedures for air bag management.
- If
the air bag or air bag cartridge will be sent off-site to a reclamation
facility, verify that:
- The
air bag/cartridge was sent to a facility capable of reclaiming
the items.
- If
the air bag or air bag cartridge will be sent off-site for disposal,
verify that:
- The
air bags/cartridges were managed on-site as hazardous waste,
which includes proper storage.
- The
air bags/cartridges were sent to an approved landfill using
the appropriate procedures.
- Hazardous
waste recordkeeping and reporting requirements have been satisfied.
Best
Management Practices (BMPs)
Most
regulations tell you what you have to do to be in compliance, but
they don’t explain how to do it. That’s where "best
management practices" come into play. BMPs are proven methods
that help you to get into compliance and stay there.
The
following BMPs are recommended for the management and recycling of air
bags:
- Store non-deployed air bags indoors, protected from the
weather until they can be resold.
- If you send air bags, have retained shipping papers
that indicate the name of the declaimer, the date of transfer,
and the quantity of air bags/cartridges shipped.
Contacts
- DEP
Hazardous Waste Compliance Assistance Program: 800-741-4337.
- CRA,
Superfund and EPCRA Hotline 1-800-424-9346, 703-412-9810 (Washington,
DC Area Local)
Related
ECAR Fact Sheets
- Hazardous Waste
Other
Relevant Resources
None.
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