- Featured Recyclers & Dismantlers
- List of Recyclers & Dismantlers
Switch Out would not be successful without the participation of recyclers and dismantlers. The efforts of all who participate are very much appreciated and we are proud to highlight the following companies.
Erin Auto Recyclers – Erin, Ontario
Erin Auto Recyclers is a Canadian pioneer in automotive mercury switch recovery. Owned and operated by Rob Smith and Elayne McSkimming, this Erin Township business was the first in Canada to recover mercury switches from ABS breaking assemblies.
Recovering ABS assemblies along with convenience lighting switches is an important achievement because such assemblies often contain three mercury switches that together contain over 2.5 grams of mercury, a harmful neurotoxin. These assemblies can also take more time to find and remove from end of life vehicles than other switches, proving that Erin Auto Recyclers is dedicated to their company mission of "continuously moving forward and improving upon everything that affects the environment and quality of life".
Switch Out would like to congratulate Rob, Elayne and their team of five employees for paving the way and showing that recovering ABS assemblies is part of a thorough environmental stewardship plan. As of September 2009, many other companies across Canada have followed their lead and now collect mercury- containing ABS assemblies along with convenience lighting switches as a part of Switch Out.
For more information on this business, please visit www.erinauto.com
Richmond Steel – Richmond, British Columbia
Richmond Steel, a company of Sims Metal Management, is an example of a business that recently went above and beyond to promote automotive mercury switch recovery and to change the status- quo for the better.
Over the summer of 2009 they executed, in concert with the City of Yellowknife, a processing project that saw hundreds of end of life vehicles in that city prepared for responsible recycling into new steel. They have done similar projects in other remote regions including the Yukon and Alaska in the past. This type of processing and removal project is vital in helping ensure that scrap materials are not left to deteriorate in the environment. It also helps divert thousands of tons of metal from landfills.
Before journeying to Yellowknife, Richmond Steel contacted the Switch Out program for training and collection materials because they wanted to remove mercury switches as a part of their company's commitment to recycle in an environmentally safe manner. Automotive mercury switch removal had never yet taken place in Canada's territories before this initiative and it therefore represents a positive change in the status quo regarding the environment.
Switch Out salutes Richmond Steel and its fifty employees for taking on mercury switch removal and for showing the vital role recycling businesses have in helping to properly manage resources in an environmentally friendly way.
