Mercury Switch Removal
Mercury-containing switches control vehicle convenience lighting controls (the hood and trunk lights) and some anti-lock brake systems. The actual mercury switch is the small, bullet-shaped metal or glass capsule that forms the base of the light socket and is visible once the bulb is removed. Sometimes the mercury switch will be found not at the light fixture, but further along the wire that runs toward the bottom of the hood or trunk.
Most pre-1998 vehicles that contain hood or trunk lights are likely to contain mercury if they were produced by domestic automakers. International automakers stopped using the switches by 1993, following a ban on such uses in Europe.
An estimated 4 million mercury switches were used in U.S. vehicles in 2000. While automakers claim that all mercury switches were eliminated from new vehicles by the end of the 2002 model year, (replaced by the ball-bearing switch), this does not resolve the problem caused by the millions of switches currently in vehicles on the road. Also, cars have yet to become mercury-free…new automotive applications of mercury, including high intensity discharge (HID) headlamps and background lighting in automotive displays such as navigational devices, currently are being introduced in both foreign and domestic vehicles.
Regulations
- Regulation Effective 08/05/05
- House File 2362
- During its 2006 session, the Iowa Legislature passed HF 2362, the Mercury-Free Recycling Act, to encourage vehicle dismantlers and scrap recycling facilities to remove automotive mercury convenience light switches before the vehicle is crushed or shredded.
Downloads
Why Do Mercury Switches Need to be Removed?
There are an estimated 200 tons of mercury contained in all vehicles on the road today. Since automakers began installing mercury switches in automobiles over 30 years ago, the mercury from these devices has been released into the environment as vehicles are junked at the end of their “lives”. In 2004 the amount of mercury entering the environment annually from automobiles reached its highest level, and these releases will remain at these levels for several years until gradual phasing out of mercury switches is complete. In the last three years – since January 2001 – over 54,000 additional pounds of mercury from auto switches have been released to the environment. An estimated 8,457,782 automobiles were junked in the year 2003 alone, containing mercury switches. Between 1973 and 2003, there have been 259,526 releases of mercury into the environment from junked automobiles. Replacing just one mercury switch can prevent contamination of 2,000 Walleye. Replacing just one mercury switch can prevent contamination of an 18 acre lake for one year.
Vehicles Containing Mercury Convenience Light Switches (MS Word Format)
Mercury light switches are common in U.S. made passenger cars and pickups. As a general rule, you should assume there is a mercury switch in the hood or trunk convenience lights on:
- Model year 2001 or older GM and Ford vehicles
- Model year 1998 or older Chrysler vehicles
Vehicles Containing Mercury ABS G-Force Sensors (MS Word Format)
- List of vehicles containing mercury ABS G-Force Sensors for specific brands and model years for the participating members of the End of Life Vehicle Solutions.
How to Remove, Store, and Transport a Mercury Lighting Switch
Hazardous waste regulations were established to minimize human and environmental exposure to hazardous chemicals. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has written a comprehensive set of regulations that govern the management of hazardous waste from the point of generation to disposal.
Incentive Program Pays $5.00 per Switch
As part of this program, ELVS will pay $5.00 for each mercury switch bullet that is associated with a valid VIN number. ELVS also will provide educational materials on switch location and removal as well as collection buckets. ELVS also will pay for the shipping and recycling the switches/assemblies removed by dismantlers and scrap metal recyclers.