Testimony on Behalf of the Maryland Public Interest Research Group (Maryland PIRG)
Position: FAVORABLE
Mercury is a potent neurotoxin that can contaminate groundwater, lakes, and streams, as well as the fish and wildlife that rely on these waters. Automobile switches represent the largest manufacturing source of mercury.
Automakers use mercury in switches for convenience lighting, anti-locking brake systems and other control systems, even though mercury-free alternatives exist. Instead of reducing the applications in which mercury is used for vehicles, many automakers are introducing new automotive uses of mercury, including high intensity discharge (HID) headlights and display lighting.
Unfortunately, when vehicles reach the end of their useful lives, they are often dismantled for scrap and component recycling, which can include crushing and remelting of steel. If mercury is not removed prior to car dismantling and processing, mercury can be released into soils and water resources from crushing or into the air when steel is processed for recycling.
Senate Bill 366 would require the removal and recycling of mercury-containing switches from vehicles, and it establishes a capture rate of 90%. SB 366 would require vehicle manufacturers that sell vehicles in Maryland to develop “Mercury Minimization Plans” by December 2007 detailing where mercury-containing switches are located and how they can be effectively recycled. These plans also require the manufacturer to finance collection efforts on the part of vehicle and steel recyclers, as well as the costs for mercury storage, handling, transport and recycling incurred by the recyclers.
A dozen other states have taken similar steps to ensure that mercury from automobiles is collected and removed from the waste stream. Maine, Arkansas, New Jersey, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Illinois, Iowa, Vermont, Utah, Massachusetts, Louisiana, and South Carolina have passed legislation requiring automakers to pay for mercury switch collection. Several other states are currently pursuing legislation this year.
Voluntary statewide auto switch collection programs have been inconsistent, reporting low single-digit percentage collection of mercury switches. In the fall of 2006 the U.S. EPA established a voluntary national program, and there is no reason to believe that participation rates will be higher through the national program than the voluntary state programs that have failed to capture a significant market-share in the past.
The reclamation process proposed in SB 366 will codify an effective reclamation process and ensure that mercury switches are collected. This bill would prevent the escape of thousands of pounds of toxic mercury into our environment.
Maryland PIRG respectfully urges a favorable report on SB 366.
