DRAFT WISCONSIN MERCURY SOURCEBOOK: AUTOMOTIVE 173 ▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼ MERCURY USE: Table of Contents About This Handout .........................174 AUTOMOTIVE SECTOR Why Should I Be Concerned About Mercury? ...........................................175 Mercury is used in automotive applications for lighting switches, anti- “Confirmed” Automotive Applications of lock brake systems, and active ride control. These combined applications Mercury .............................................177 result in a calculated 9.8 metric tons per year of elemental mercury. Light Switches ...................................177 Anti-lock Braking Systems ...............177 Active Ride Control ...........................177 Communities need to consider automotive use of mercury both at the High Intensity Discharge Lighting ..177 production point of the vehicle and when the vehicle is disposed of or Virtual Image Instrument Panel .......178 shredded at automobile salvage facilities. Vehicles are the most recycled Removing Mercury Switches from product on the planet (94% of autos which go out of registration are Automobiles ......................................178 recovered for recycling, and 75% of each vehicle by weight is recycled). Mercury Use in Automobiles & However, the switches in cars are not generally recycled - except in Alternatives .......................................179 Minnesota (see below). Mercury Switch Use in Domestic Automobiles ......................................180 Mercury Use Imported Automobiles 181 The most effective pollution prevention option in the automobile industry Case Study: Source Reduction in the Auto is to reduce or eliminate the use of mercury in the design/decision Industry .............................................182 process by replacing mercury with viable, environmentally benign Chrysler Reduction Program ...........182 alternatives. The Automobile subgroup of Michigan’s Mercury Pollution Mercury in Automotive Plants .........183 Prevention Task Force has made great strides in identifying sources and Mercury Product Focus: Gauges ....183 alternatives to mercury use in the automobile industry. This group made Mercury Product Focus: Lamps .....183 contact with the environmental staff of the American Automobile Mercury Product Focus: Switches and Manufacturers Association (AAMA - Chrysler Corporation, Ford Motor Relays ................................................185 Company, and General Motors Corporation), the Association of Action Steps for Automotive Facilities to Consider ............................................187 International Automobile manufacturers (AIAM), the Society of Sample Proclamation .......................189 Automotive Engineers (SAE), and the United States Council on Bibliography .....................................191 Automotive Research (USCAR). Michigan’s Task Force learned that mercury was already receiving In response to M2P2 actions, Chrysler, Ford, and General attention at Chrysler, Ford, and General Motors through the Auto Motors have all agreed to Pollution Prevention Project. A similar project has also been initiated in phase out mercury switches, Canada with the auto companies and government officials. when feasible, starting as early as 1997 and 1998 model years. Although great progress has been made in eliminating or reducing of These commitments represent mercury use in automobile switches, there are still many cars in a substantial, voluntary P2 circulation that contain mercury switches. The state of Minnesota has effort since switches account for the vast majority of addressed this problem by adopting requirements which control the mercury in automobiles. This disposal of mercury in motor vehicles (H.R. 1615). This 1995 legislation will result in the elimination of requires that a good faith effort be made to remove mercury switches 13 million switches - 10 tons of from motor vehicles before they are crushed. mercury - every year. 174 DRAFT WISCONSIN MERCURY SOURCEBOOK: AUTOMOTIVE ▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼ ABOUT THIS HANDOUT This is one chapter of the “Wisconsin Mercury SourceBook.” The Sourcebook was written as a guide for communities to help identify and reduce the purposeful use of mercury. The SourceBook contains background information on mercury contamination and provides a seven- step outline for drafting a mercury reduction plan. This handout is one of the nineteen sectors that were highlighted in the SourceBook as a potential contributor of mercury in any given community. What you will find in this handout: « Information on mercury-containing products and that are unique to the automotive industry « Information on mercury-containing products that are found both in the automotive industry and in a wide variety of other sectors (e.g., fluorescent lamps, switches) « Case studies that describe the source substitution experiences of businesses in the automotive industry « Action ideas that describe pollution prevention, recycling, and management practices for a mercury reduction plan for a business the automotive industry. This provides a good overview of the types of mercury-containing products and alternatives that may exist in the automotive industry. « A sample proclamation that explains the mercury issue and possible mercury minimization options for the automotive industry « Current mercury projects in the automotive industry For more information, please contact: DRAFT WISCONSIN MERCURY SOURCEBOOK: AUTOMOTIVE 175 ▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼ WHY SHOULD I BE CONCERNED ABOUT MERCURY? HEALTH EFFECTS OF ELEMENTAL MERCURY Some of you may remember playing with mercury when you were a The toxicity of mercury has long child. Its silvery white shimmer was entrancing, and the ability of its been known to humans. Hat glistening mass to split and come back together again was magical. But makers during the 19th century scientists are now beginning to realize that there is another side to developed symptoms of shaking mercury’s wily nature. In fact, it is some of mercury’s most elemental and slurring of speech from qualities that make it a difficult substance to handle. exposure to large amounts of inorganic mercury, which was Mercury is a common element that is found naturally in a free state or used to give a metallic sheen to mixed in ores. It also may be present in rocks or released during volcanic felt hats. This gave rise to the term activity. However, most of the mercury that enters the environment in “mad as a hatter.” Wisconsin comes from human uses. The hat makers were suffering Because mercury is very dense, expands and contracts evenly with from neurological damage from temperature changes, and has high electrical conductivity, it has been the inhalation of mercury fumes. used in thousands of industrial, agricultural, medical, and household Exposure to elemental mercury applications. vapors can cause acute respiratory problems, which are followed by It is estimated that half of the anthropogenic mercury releases in neurologic disturbances and Wisconsin are the result of the purposeful use of mercury. The other half general systemic effects. Acute of mercury emissions originate from energy production. exposure to inorganic mercury by ingestion may also cause Major uses of mercury include dental amalgams, tilt switches, gastrointestinal disturbances and thermometers, lamps, pigments, batteries, reagents, and barometers. may effect the kidneys. When these products are thrown in the trash or flushed down a drain, the mercury doesn’t go away. ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ SO WHAT’S THE BIG DEAL? The good news is that the majority eliminate the use of mercury in of products that use mercury certain waste streams. This is Mercury is a bioaccumulative, purposefully have acceptable especially beneficial considering persistent, toxic substance that alternatives. For example, electric the volatile nature of mercury, threatens the health of humans vacuum gages, expansion or because mercury can so easily and wildlife throughout North aneroid monitors are good transfer from air to soil to water. America. The USEPA, Environment Canada, the alternatives to mercury blood International Joint Commission, pressure monitors. Mechanical Practicing source reduction in the Commission for switches, magnetic dry reed combination with recycling the Environmental Cooperation and switches, and optic sensors can mercury already in the waste many state and provincial replace mercury tilt switches. stream can have a significant governments have identified impact on reducing mercury levels mercury as one of the most Replacing mercury-laden products in the environment. critical pollutants for significant with less toxic alternatives is elimination and/or reduction. referred to as source reduction. Source reduction allows us to 176 DRAFT WISCONSIN MERCURY SOURCEBOOK: AUTOMOTIVE ▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼ Mercury Transport and Bioaccumulation Mercury Direct Air Emissions Solid Waste Disposal Incineration Sludge Land Disposal Wastewater Disposal Methyl Mercury Mercury can enter the environment from a number of paths. For example, if a mercury-containing item is thrown into the garbage, the mercury may be released into the atmosphere from landfill vapors or leachate, or the mercury Fish Consumption may vaporize if the trash is incinerated. If mercury is flushed through a Advisories wastewater system, the mercury will likely adhere to the wastewater