ARKANSAS MERCURY SWITCH REMOVAL PROGRAM

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ARKANSAS MERCURY SWITCH REMOVAL PROGRAM

• Arkansas Dept. of Environmental Quality
• Solid Waste Management Division
• January 26, 2006

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CONTENTS OF PRESENTATION

• Mercury Switch Removal Act Timeline
• Arkansas is a Financial Incentive State
• Arkansas Qualified Vehicle Recycling and
• Scrap Recycling Facilities
• Arkansas Fish Advisory
• Issues of Concern

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Arkansas Mercury Switch Act Timeline

• The Arkansas General Assembly passed Act 649
  better known as the Mercury Switch Removal Act
  of 2005.
• The Act was effective on August 12, 2005.
• By September 10, 2005, manufacturers must provide
  vehicle recyclers (VR) and scrap recyclers
  facilities (SRF) with containers suitable for
  storing mercury switches.
• On Sept. 7, 2005, 80 Bucket were sent out.
• January 25, 2006, the State updated the
  manufacturers VR list and requested another mail
  out to approximately 125 VR.

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Timeline Continued

• By November 9, 2005, manufacturers of motor
  vehicles sold in the state of Arkansas must
  submit a Mercury Minimization Plan.
• On November 8, 2005, The plan was submitted by
  ELVIS on behave of the auto manufactures.
• February 28, 2006, a draft state regulation will
  be presented to the Arkansas Pollution Control
  and Ecology Commission.
• On or before March 8, 2006, the director shall
  approve, disapprove or conditionally approve the
  Mercury Minimization Plan.

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Arkansas is a Financial Incentive State

• The costs listed below shall be borne by the
  manufacturers of vehicles sold in the state,
• Five dollars (5.00) for each mercury switch
  removed by a vehicle recycler (VR) or scrap
  recycling facility (SRF) and
• One dollar (1.00) for each mercury switch
  removed by a VR or SRF as partial compensation to
  the Department.
• The manufacturer is also responsible for
  educational materials packaging shipping
  recycling, storage or disposal of mercury and
  maintenance of all appropriate record-keeping
  systems. 

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End of Life Vehicle Total Number of Recyclers

• Vehicle Recyclers (VR)
• At this time, approximately 200 Qualified VR
• Qualified VR that crush gt 6 per year
• Scrap Recycling Facilities (SRF)
• Nucor-Yamato Steel Company, Armorel (EAF)
• Nucor Steel Company, Armorel (EAF)
• A.Tenenbaum Company Inc., North Little Rock
  (Shredder)

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(No Transcript)
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Dept. of Health Human Services Mercury Fish
Advisory Reports 1997 - 18 areas 1999 20
areas 2006 Pending
Information obtained from
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Issues of Concern

• Information sent to vehicle recyclers (VR) was
  incomplete and not sent to all qualified
  facilities.
• Inspections of sites not required by Act.
• Mercury Switch Bucket
• Should assemblies or bullets be placed in the
  bucket
• When and where to send the bucket
• Should there be an annual recycling due date
  (12-31)
• How to handle vehicle recyclers that do not
  qualify for the program.

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Chrissy Heider, Mgmt. Project Analyst
II heider_at_adeq.state.ar.us [phone] Susan
Speake, Program Branch Manager speake_at_adeq.state.a
r.us [phone] ADEQ Web Site
www.adeq.state.ar.us
Contacts