Microwave recycling used for auto shredder residue

Call For Papers For The 13th International Congress For Battery Recycling

The first component of an effective compliance assurance program is knowing the number and locations of the auto recycling facilities in your state. Identifying the entire universe of auto recycling facilities can be challenging because this sector comprises many small "mom and pop" shops and "hobbyists." As mentioned above, the U.S. Census Bureau estimates the number of auto recycling facilities to be over 7,000; however, other sources list the number of facilities as ranging from 6,000 to over 12,0002. This wide range reflects the fact that the "mom and pop" and hobbyist shops are hard to locate and classify. There is no comprehensive list of auto recycling facilities in the United States. You will probably need to use several resources to help locate the auto recycling facilities in your state or region. These include local trade associations, local government agencies, the phone book, word-of-mouth (e.g., identify small facilities through discussions with large auto recyclers), visual identification by driving by auto recycling facilities, and aerial photography. Trade associations can be a good place to identify the larger auto recycling facilities. You can supplement this list with information from local government agencies and the phone book. However, to identify the small "mom and pop" facilities and hobbyists, you may need to turn to visual identification, aerial photography, or word-of-mouth. We encourage you to use a combination of these tools to identify the auto recycling facility universe in your state, because no single tool likely will generate a comprehensive list.

The five biggest challenges are salvage, insurance, education and training, air bags, and mercury switches. Finding reasonably priced salvaged vehicles is a huge problem for this industry. So many old cars are being exported, and many of them are being purchased by unscrupulous buyers who will pay almost anything to acquire them. For instance, some people will buy salvaged cars just to get the vehicle identification number, which they put on a stolen vehicle to get a clean title. Also, a lot of vehicles exported from the United States wind up in the hands of criminals. To combat this illegal behavior, ARA is working closely with the North American Export Committee, a group of law enforcement officials in Canada, the U.S., and Mexico. Insurance is also a big issue for auto recyclers.

Have automakers made any changes that have improved automotive recycling? Though our communication with automakers has improved on this issue, there are additional design changes we'd like to see. For example, it would be helpful to have petcocks under the radiator, the engine, and the fuel tank so we could drain 100 percent of the fluids. We'd like a way to blow out the brake system. We'd like to know where various components- like boron steel and mercury switches-are located in vehicles. Also, put all the gas tanks on the same side of the car. That would make it easier for recyclers during processing. We understand, of course, that automakers have to make tough decisions. Take gas tanks as an example. Should they use metal or plastic? Metal is easier to recycle, but if they need to make the car lighter, they may opt for plastic. They have to consider many factors, including material cost, environmental impact, and government requirements. This is not as simple as many people think. But we're making progress, thanks in part to the work of groups like the Vehicle Recycling Partnership, whose members include ARA and ISRI.

The disposal of used motor oil has been a problem since the invention of the internal combustion engine. In the past, disposal generally consisted of pouring used oil on the ground, spraying it on dirt roads for dust control, using it as a weed killer, or dumping it in a landfill. When allowed to seep into the ground, used oil has the potential to seriously damage ground and surface water.

Butler Auto Recycling Recognized as A "Green Yard" The State Department Of Environmental Protection recognized a Pensacola business for being environmentally friendly. This morning Butler Auto Recycling was the first salvage yard west of Tallahassee to receive the "Green Yard" award. Only 920 yards in the state have met all the rules and regulations. Florida Green Yard facilities utilize the best green practices to reduce waste, prevent pollution and reduce costs. Last Updated: Wednesday, August 8 2007, 09:06 AM

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection today will recognize the environmental commitment of Butler Auto Recycling by designating the facility a Florida "Green Yard." Butler Auto Recycling is the first facility in Escambia County and the first facility in DEP's Northwest District to complete the comprehensive program designed to protect Florida's environment. Dick Fancher, DEP's Northwest District director, will present the "Green Yard" flag to Jim Butler, owner of Butler Auto Recycling, 6401 N. Palafox St., Pensacola.

If you pair vision with passion, you're likely to come up with Jim Butler, named UpFront's 2006 Most Influential Analyst. As vice president of Butler Auto Recycling in Pensacola, Fla., Butler maintains a clear vision of the industry and strives to take it to the next level. "I've known him for five years," said Damon Davis of R & R New Parts & Salvage, who serves on the ARA CAR and ARA Events Committees with Butler. "He's very active in the associations and he's very passionate about what he does."

When you shop with Butler Auto Recycling, you are guaranteed to get quality auto parts from a solid company. We have been family-owned and operated in Pensacola, Florida, since 1977. We have committed ourselves to conserving the future through automotive recycling and to bringing our customers high-quality, low-cost alternatives in auto parts.