EPA reports progress on mercury switch removal.(SCRAP INDUSTRY NEWS)

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reports more than 635,000 mercury switches representing 1,400 pounds of mercury have been removed during the first year of its voluntary national program to remove the devices from vehicles.

Last August, the EPA, the American Iron and Steel Institute, the Steel Manufacturers Association, the Automotive Recyclers Association, the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries Inc., the End of Life Vehicles Corp., Environmental Defense, the Ecology Center and the Environmental Council of the States launched the mercury switch removal program. Working with existing state efforts, the National Vehicle Mercury Switch Removal Program estimates it has the potential to recover from 80 percent to 90 percent of available mercury switches.

EPA says it reached its goal to enlist the participation of all 50 state. The EPA will measure the program's progress by determining the percentage of switches recovered each year compared to the number of available end-of-life autos.

EPA estimates 5,900 recyclers have agreed to recover switches before sending vehicles for further recycling.

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