What's New for Environmental Excellence Awards

Also See: What's New for EPA,
What's New for State Programs and/or Awards/Grants

Information on this page highlights national programs relevant to automotive recycling environmental compliance.

1. NMVTIS Requirements and Cash for Clunker Vehicles
In addressing the trade-in vehicle disposal process, automotive recycling facilities participating in the Cash for Clunkers program must dismantle trade-in vehicles subject to certain conditions and certifications. As a condition of accepting transfer of the trade-in vehicle, the disposal facility must certify that it meets all applicable state and federal laws, including the National Motor Vehicle Title Information System (NMVTIS). The automotive recycling facility must certify that it will update NMVTIS, within 7 days as "salvage" after receiving the trade-in vehicle. A second reporting requirement must be carried out within 7 days after crushing or shredding the vehicle, and must be reported as such. The disposal facility must certify that it will not sell, lease, exchange, or otherwise dispose of the vehicle for use as an automobile in the United States or any other country, that the vehicle will be crushed or shredded onsite within 270 days after the date of its transfer from the dealer, and that the vehicle will not be transferred to another disposal facility prior to being crushed or shredded. During the 270-day period prior to the required crushing or shredding of the trade-in vehicle, the disposal facility may sell any parts of the vehicle other than the engine block or drive train (unless the drive train is dismantled and sold in parts).

For more information on how to complete NMVTIS reporting, log on to the ARA web site.

2. Wilson Invited to Serve on Justice Department NMVTIS Advisory Board
The Department of Justice's Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) has invited ARA Chief Executive Officer, Michael Wilson, to serve a two-year term on the recently announced National Motor Vehicle Title Information System (NMVTIS) Advisory Board. The Board is being established under provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act. The objective of the Advisory Board is to provide input and recommendations to BJA regarding the operations and administration of NMVTIS such as meeting the statutory goals of the system; ensuring participation of system stakeholders; implementing a system that is self-sustainable with user fees; creating opportunities for alternative revenue-generating streams; determining ways to enhance the technological capabilities of the system; and other issues that BJA may determine to be necessary.

Membership on the committee will consist of approximately 25 representatives from key stakeholder groups, including law enforcement, state motor vehicle titling agencies, insurance carriers, junk and salvage yards, auto recyclers, auto industry organizations, consumer advocacy organizations, and technology partners. The inaugural meeting is slated for June 22-23, 2010 at BJA's offices in Washington.

3. Implementation Resources for Spent Lead-Acid Battery Exporters
The new requirements for exporters who wish to ship spent lead-acid batteries (SLABs) to other countries for recycling or recovery depend in part on the desired destination country. Such shipments are subject to the US requirements for exports, the regulations for imports in the destination country, and whatever international waste agreement is most relevant to the waste and countries concerned.

The Basel Convention is a multilateral international agreement governing all transboundary movements of hazardous waste for recovery or disposal. There are 172 countries that are parties to the Basel Convention, but the US is not a party. SLABs are listed as hazardous waste A1160 (waste lead-acid batteries, whole or crushed) in Annex VIII of the Basel Convention. Article 4, Paragraph 5 of the Basel Convention generally prohibits Parties from permitting the import of hazardous wastes from a non-Party like the United States unless the countries concerned participate in a separate international agreement, also known as an "Article 11 agreement," that provides a level of environmentally sound management equivalent to that of the Basel Convention requirements. Exports of SLABs for recovery to any non-OECD country that is a Basel Party are subject to either this agreement or an Article 11 agreement.

4. The National Vehicle Mercury Switch Recovery Program
(NVMSRP) Update

The National Vehicle Mercury Switch Removal Program (NVMSRP) voluntary incentive fund is now depleted. Incentive payments will continue in states where they are required by law (AR, IL, IA, MA, NJ, RI, UT, MD) or have a state funded program (NC, SC,WA) but have ceased in voluntary states. All other aspects of the switch collection program will continue. You are strongly encouraged to continue removing switches and the program will continue to accept these switches at no cost to participants. For the first 4 months of 2010, there have been 9091 recyclers collecting 202,463 switches which represents 445.42 lbs of mercury.

5. National Vehicle Scrappage Program Encourages Canadians to Retire their Rides
Like the United States Cash for Clunker Program, the Government of Canada is cleaning up the air Canadians breathe by supporting Â a national vehicle scrappage program. Delivered by Summerhill Impact, formerly Clean Air Foundation, the Retire your Ride program offers Canadians rewards for voluntarily retiring their older, higher-polluting vehicles.

Retire Your Ride
The Government of Canada has committed $92 million over four years to Summerhill Impact's Retire Your Ride program to help Canadians recycle their older, higher polluting vehicles and make sustainable transportation choices, leading to reduced air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. The program also ensures that vehicles are recycled responsibly; thereby further preventing the release of harmful substances into the environment.

Updated 6/3/10.

Check out the updated Calendar section, which contains current industry events for the auto recycling industry.

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