Mar 17 â€" Utah Passes Mercury Switch Law

On Wednesday, Utah Governor Huntsman signed Representative Menlove’s Mercury Switch Removal Act into law. The measure will require a $5 bounty to be paid by automakers to end-of-life vehicle dismantlers and scrap facilities for the removal and recycling of each mercury switch extracted. Great Salt Lake Keeper was a primary advocate of the bill. GSLK has been working on their Great Salt Lake Mercury Reduction Program, whose purpose is to test and identify sources of mercury contamination, noting that toxic emissions from coal-fired power plants or gold mines operating nearby in Nevada may the Salt Lake’s greatest mercury contributor.

CAW is still working with Assembly Member Levine, the Auto Alliance of Manufacturers, and California’s auto dismantler association on a temporarily voluntary mercury switch program. A press event will be schedules to unveil the program once it is finalized.