National Mercury Switch Recovery Program

On December 29, 2007, Environment Canada published in the Canada Gazette Part 1 a Notice requiring the preparation and implementation of a pollution prevention plan in respect of mercury releases from mercury switches in end-of-life vehicles.

It is important to highlight that as of January 1, 2003 the use of mercury switches in new automobiles was completely phased out on voluntary basis.

Since January 1, 2008, Canada’s steel and auto industries have jointly supported and funded a national program designed to remove mercury-containing switches that were used in vehicles for convenience lights (under the hood or in the trunk) and anti-lock braking systems from end-of-life vehicles. The switches are removed from these vehicles before they are flattened, shredded and recycled into new steel. This national program builds on the Switch Out initiative delivered by the Clean Air Foundation (CAF), a national not-for-profit organization. The national program has been expanding Switch Out to all provinces and territories in Canada, providing the infrastructure for the collection, removal and management of the mercury-containing switches, as well as practical educational materials to recyclers across the country.

Moreover, this program partnership is supported by Canadian automotive recyclers and dismantlers and their respective associations – the Automotive Recyclers of Canada (ARC) and the Canadian Association of Recycling Industries (CARI). The collaborative effort among the steel, auto and recycling/dismantling industries is unprecedented and is essential to the success of the program.

The following vehicle manufacturers are participating in the national mercury switch recovery effort through the Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers’ Association (CVMA):

	Chrysler Canada Inc.
	Ford Motor Company of Canada, Limited
	General Motors of Canada Limited
	Mazda Canada Inc.
	Nissan Canada Inc.
	Porsche Cars Canada Ltd.
	SAAB Automobile AB
	Subaru Canada Inc.
	Volkswagen Group Canada Inc.

As part of the Notice, there is a requirement for public reporting of the targets, timelines and results of the management of mercury switches on an annual basis including the number of mercury switches collected and the estimated capture rate.

The tables below outlines the anticipated and actual results for the 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011 reporting years:

Table 1: 2008 National Switch Out program Results

Parameter Results Anticipated 2008 Switch Collection Target (note 1) 39,000 switches Anticipated 2008 Estimated Capture Rate 12% Actual Number of Switches Collected in 2008 64,011 switches Actual 2008 Capture Rate 19.7%

Table 2: 2009 National Switch Out program Results

Parameter Results Anticipated 2009 Switch Collection Target (note 1) 60,000 switches Anticipated 2009 Estimated Capture Rate 20% Actual Number of Switches Collected in 2009 112,167 switches Actual 2009 Capture Rate 37.4%

Table 3: 2010 National Switch Out program Results

Parameter Results Anticipated 2010 Switch Collection Target (note 1) 112,000 switches Anticipated 2010 Estimated Capture Rate 40% Actual Number of Switches Collected in 2010 76,866 switches Actual 2010 Capture Rate 27.4%

Table 4: 2011 National Switch Out program Results

Parameter Results Anticipated 2011 Switch Collection Target (note 1) 129,000 switches Anticipated 2011 Estimated Capture Rate 50% Actual Number of Switches Collected in 2011 67,542 switches Actual 2011 Capture Rate 26.2%

Note 1: the anticipated number of mercury switches available for collection is based upon a similar model utilized in the U.S.-based National Vehicle Mercury Switch Recovery Program.  Details of the U.S. model are available at: http://www.elvsolutions.org/model.html.