DAYTON, Ohio, March 6, 2019 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- As a solution to the waste generated by the highly publicized worldwide recall of automotive airbags, Clean Water Environmental (CWE), a leader in wastewater treatment, hazardous waste management and industrial recycling for almost 80 years, is pleased to announce that it recently began managing the destruction of the inflator portion of recalled airbag units in an innovative, environmentally-friendly way that recycles nearly all materials.
In the largest automotive recall in history to remove defective and potentially lethal airbags, over 100 million vehicles manufactured between 2006 and 2016 are expected to be recalled by the end of 2019, with the recall potentially growing to 150 million vehicles. Because these airbags cannot be reused or safely deployed, and are a threat to public safety and welfare, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) asserted that the recalled airbags that have been removed from vehicles must be managed as hazardous waste when discarded.
In November 2018, the EPA published an interim final rule to support automotive dealerships, salvage yards and other airbag waste handlers by exempting the collection of airbag waste from hazardous waste requirements as long as certain conditions are met. Additionally, handlers are required to send recalled inflators to a RCRA-designated facility, such as CWE's Dayton facility, for proper disposal. In support of this effort, the industry and public safety, CWE has launched an innovative, environmentally-friendly solution to safely dispose of inflators and help dealers avoid long-term storage. CWE's patent-pending destruction process maximizes safety and results in the recycling or re-use of nearly 100% of the residuals produced.
"We are extremely excited to offer the automotive industry a safe, cost-effective and environmentally-friendly solution for the collection and disposal of defective airbag inflators under the EPA's guidance," said John Staton, Clean Water Environmental CEO. "Our patent-pending system is compartmentally expandable and upgradable to handle significantly increased volumes with little additional requirements from a regulatory standpoint. We have been licensed to transport hazardous waste for over 30 years and are currently transporting airbag inflators. Using a combination of our own equipment and other well-known contract carriers, we are building a nationwide transportation network in support of the collection of these units. This will not only help ensure public safety, but also lead to greater employment for the West Dayton community."
"As the airbag recall continues to impact the automotive industry and public safety, the Automotive Recycling Association (ARA) is supportive of companies that innovate ways to properly destruct and recycle the airbag components," said Sandy Blalock, ARA Executive Director. "Given the scope and seriousness of this growing problem, the ARA cannot stress enough how important it is to be aggressive in the destruction and ensure the correct recycling process for environmental conservation."
About Clean Water Environmental
Backed by almost 80 years' experience with state, local and federal regulations, innovative technology and safe transportation, Clean Water Environmental, LLC is an industry leader in wastewater treatment, hazardous waste management and industrial recycling. CWE has held a RCRA Facility Part B permit to operate a hazardous waste Treatment Storage and Disposal Facility (TSDF) since 1995 and currently operates two Ohio-based, state-of-the-art treatment facilities, an extensive on-site analytical laboratory and a full fleet of tank trucks and dry-freight units. It is wholly dedicated to providing treatment, storage, disposal, recycling and transportation of hazardous and non-hazardous materials with the high level of responsibility required for their ultimate disposition. Safety, compliance and nurture for the environment are at the foundation of all CWE operations. CWE is a portfolio company of Hunting Dog Capital LLC (http://www.hdcap.com).
For more information, please visit https://cleanwaterenv.com/airbag-inflator-recycling/ call 937-268-6501 or email inquiries(at)cleanwaterenv.com.
SOURCE Clean Water Environmental
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