Pulling together to solve a toxic problem
Schnitzer Steel's Auto Parts Business received the Steel Manufacturers Association
2008 Recycler of the Year Award for leadership in mercury switch recycling.
Used and salvaged vehicles are valuable because they contain reusable parts and recyclable steel. Yet many of the millions of cars that reach the end of the road at auto dismantlers arrive with some small, unwanted baggage: under-the-hood or trunk convenience lighting switches containing mercury. Dismantlers must carefully remove and recover these switches and other harmful contaminants before the auto body moves on for further processing to ensure pollutants are not released into the environment during processing.
Understanding the potential environmental impact of improperly handled mercury switches, Schnitzer's Auto Parts Business, Pick-n-Pull Auto Dismantler, adheres to a rigorous program for extraction and disposal. As a result, Pick-n-Pull has become a national leader in mercury switch recovery.
In recognition of its industry leadership, the Steel Manufacturers Association named Pick-n-Pull "Recycler of the Year" in 2008.
Pick-n-Pull participates in the national End of Life Vehicle Solutions (ELVS) program, which was formed by the automotive industry and is a signatory to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's National Vehicle Mercury Switch Recovery Program.
Pick-n-Pull began removing mercury switches before these programs were enacted, but since joining the program in 2006, we have recycled more than 280,000 mercury switches, keeping more than 617 pounds of mercury out of the environment.
"I attribute our success to a company culture that encourages employees to do better than what's required. We use a scorecard system to make sure all sites are keeping up, checking all vehicles for mercury."
– Chris Orsolini, Environmental Administrator, Auto Parts Business
"Metal can be recycled over and over again. For us to process it properly, it must arrive at our facility free of contaminants. That's why we appreciate Pick-n-Pull's excellent record of reliability when it comes to removing mercury switches."
– Tom Kniola, Melt Shop Superintendent, Steel Manufacturing Business
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