California Auto Recyclers Develop Green Yards

In the state of California alone, approximately 1.3 million vehicles achieve end of life status each year. These vehicles have either been involved in collisions where the cost to repair them outweighs the value of the automobile or the determination is made by the individual of the vehicle based on the cost of repair. Either way that is an incredible amount of vehicles that must be dealt with. When one considers all of the hazardous waste that is contained within each automobile, the image quickly takes on nightmare states in terms of negative impact on California's environment. This is where auto recyclers state wide become major players on the green field of environmental protection. Although most individuals never give much thought to the important role that auto recycler's play in day-to-day life, image what would happen if they ceased to exist. Without auto recyclers, these vehicles may be abandoned in empty lots, left along roadsides and clog landfills.

Among other reasons the State of California Auto Dismantlers Association was formed to assist individual auto recyclers in complying with industry regulations and to act as a liaison between auto recyclers and government entities. This is a statewide trade organization that helps disseminate information concerning the latest trade information to individual auto recyclers. One of the functions that SCADA has acquired in recent years, is to assist auto recyclers throughout the state of California maintain compliance with important environmental regulations. With increased environmental awareness and the desire to protect the states delicate natural resources, auto recyclers are working harder than ever to create green yards that contain automobile waste products and either safely recycle them or ensure safe disposal. SCADA is instrumental in helping to achieve this.

It has been determined that the average passenger automobile contains seven hazardous waste products. These include gasoline, motor oil, transmission fluid, brake fluid, antifreeze, mercury and Freon. Auto recyclers provide necessary services that ensure that these hazardous components are removed from automobiles before it is to a shredder for recycling.

With over two hundred members located throughout the state, SCADA works to ensure that its members are in full compliance with federal, state and local laws. Auto recyclers in California are the state's first best defense against environmental pollution from end of life automobiles.

It has been estimated that in California and throughout the country automotive recyclers have spent nearly $50 million dollars on environmental compliance. This industry is one of the fastest growing and has one of the highest compliance records of all industries involved in hazardous waste handling in the United States today.

By forming partnerships working in conjunction with SCADA and the Environmental Protection Agency, SCADA assists federal and state personnel in conducting compliance assistance inspections at auto recycling facilities throughout the state. In this manner, smaller based auto recyclers were able to get assistance through federal and state grants that ensure they are able to meet the compliance guidelines without undue financial strain.

Partnerships such as the ones described above help ensure that auto recycling facilities are becoming green recycling yards. Working in cooperation with the EPA and the state trade association, auto recyclers that have had difficulty complying with EPA regulations get the assistance required to bring each auto recycling facility up to the green yard standards that work best for the state of California.


Ronnie Tanner is a contributing writer at California Junk Yards. He writes about California junk yards, used Chevrolet engines and other industry specific topics.