Extended Producer Responsibility for Automobiles in North America

1. Extended Producer Responsibility for Automobiles in North America Ecology Center

2. Automobile Impacts Multiple Impacts Across Auto Lifecycle • Materials production and manufacturing • Fuel processing emissions • Metals, plastics, painting and coating • Tailpipe emissions from fuel combustion • Climate change- 33% of all sources • Urban air pollution • End-of-Life vehicle impacts • Metals recycling processes, Auto “fluff” • Auto salvage yards Ecology Center

3. Auto Production Materials Production and Waste Generation • Largest manufacturing industry, and also biggest polluter • Major consumer of metals, glass, rubber, and plastics • 60-70% of U.S. lead, iron and rubber use • End-of-life recycling and disposal processes • Emissions of mercury, lead, dioxins, PAH’s, and other contaminants from material recovery • Only 75% recycled Ecology Center

4. Releases from Production Materials Production and Waste Generation • Major consumer of steel, aluminum, rubber, plastics and other metals • 60-70% of nation’s lead and rubber use • Releases from all production processes? • One estimate: 30,000 lbs. waste/emissions per vehicle (10/1 waste to product) • End-of-life recycling and disposal processes • Emissions of mercury, lead, dioxins, PAH’s, and other contaminants from material recovery • 20 - 25% not recycled, by weight (~700 lbs.) Ecology Center

5. Clean Production • Material Phase-Outs • Mercury, lead, PVC, other PBT’s • Clean Manufacturing • Water and powder-based coating systems • Recyclability and Recycled Content • Targets for high level of material recovery • Product “Take-Back” or EPR • Material Collection and Recycling Ecology Center

6. EU’s ELV Directive End-of-Life Vehicle Directive of 2000 • Phase-Out of Materials of Concern • Mercury, lead, cadmium and hex chrome • PVC, under review • Recyclability Targets • 85% recycled or recovered by 2006 • 95% by 2015 • End-of-Life Management Req’s • Facility registration • Removal of hazardous and recyclable materials before shredding Ecology Center

7. Mercury Products legis. • Vermont labeling law • Northeast states (NEWMOA) model legislation included manufacturer responsibility req’s • Automobiles implicated as significant source, due to use of mercury-containing switches Ecology Center

8. Auto Mercury Applications • Convenience Lighting • “Most” pre-1995 hood and truck lights Anti-lock Brake Systems(ABS) Other HID Headlamps Navigational displays Backlit instruments Family entertainment systems Ecology Center

9. Mercury in Fleet 11.2 tons used in 1996 170 - 200 million switches now on the road Strategic Research Ecology Center

10. Electric Arc Furnaces • 120 U.S. facilities • 37% of domestic scrap from the auto sector • Recent stack testing for mercury Ecology Center

11. Phase-out • Hg switches finally phased out in new vehicles at end of 2002 • 150 tons of mercury still on the road the problem now Ecology Center

12. Switches in US Fleet Ecology Center

13. Switch Retirement Ecology Center

14. Mercury in Vehicles Ecology Center

15. Mercury Switch Recovery • Goal of 90% Capture Rate • Both In-Use and End-of-Life Collection • Dealers, service stations, etc. • Auto dismantling facilities • Manufacturer responsibility • Financial incentives for dismantlers • Responsibility for infrastructure gaps Ecology Center

16. Partnership for Mercury-Free Vehicles • Coalition between environmental groups, auto dismantlers, and steel recycling industries • Developed Action Plan and Model legislation based on EPR approach • Maine, first state to pass “manufacturer responsibility” legislation Ecology Center

17. Maine legislation • Auto recyclers required to remove mercury switches and mercury headlamps prior to being crushed • By January 1, 2003, automobile manufacturers must: • establish consolidation centers for mercury switch collection, • pay a minimum $1 bounty for each switch turned in, • pay for transport and recycling of switches collected • help identify makes & models containing mercury switches • Mercury switches prohibited from new cars • A goal of 90 pounds of mercury removal per year is established to guide program evaluation. • Detailed reporting required to track program success Ecology Center

18. Maine implementation • Law being implemented as of Jan. 2003 • 3rd party contractor for participating companies • Automakers challenged law in federal court, claiming conflicts with interstate commerce. “Maine’s law effectively forces out-of-state companies to enter the recycling business against their will and, in effect, subsidizes the balance sheets of Maine’s recyclers and disposal companies who are relieved of the burden of having to handle these waste substances.” Jo Cooper, Alliance of Automobile Mcfc’s Ecology Center

19. Other Legislation • Several other states have legislation pending, following Maine’s lead • NE states, NJ, and Calif. • Michigan exploring a negotiated program Ecology Center

20. Issues • Retroactive responsibility • Performance standard for recovery • Financial incentives, or “bounty” • Alt’s to manufacturer responsibility • Fees on products; state-run program? • “Shared” responsibility? • Promoting green design • EPR for other materials, “whole car”? Ecology Center

21. Resources Clean Car Campaign: www.cleancarcampaign.org Ecology Center