National Vehicle Mercury Switch Recovery Program (NVMSRP)

The mercury switch itself is small, about the size of a new acorn.

July 2009 Notice to all NVMSRP Mercury Switch Collection Participants: The NVMSRP voluntary incentive fund is now depleted. Incentive payments will continue in states where they are required by law (AR, IL, IA, MA, NJ, RI, UT, MD) or have a state funded program (NC, SC,WA) but have ceased in voluntary states. All other aspects of the switch collection program will continue. You are strongly encouraged to continue removing switches and the program will continue to accept these switches at no cost to participants. Thank you in advance for your commitment to the environment.

On August 11, 2006, EPA announced a national program to recover 80-90 percent of all available mercury switches from scrap automobiles. The National Vehicle Mercury Switch Recovery Program (NVMSRP) is designed to recover an estimated 40 million mercury-containing light switches from scrap vehicles that are melted to make new steel. This will significantly reduce mercury air emissions from the fourth leading source in the United States – the furnaces used in steel making. The Program is the result of a two-year collaboration involving EPA, states, environmental organizations, and several industry sectors.

In February 2008, the Program collected its millionth mercury-containing automotive switch, which represents more than one ton of mercury that has been removed from the environment. The goal of the program is to collect 80 to 90 percent of available mercury switches by 2017.

May 2009 Clarification: The NVMSRP will not end if monetary incentives cease to be offered to automobile dismantlers recovering switches. The NVMSRP is scheduled to continue until 2017, based upon an estimate that all available mercury vehicle switches will have been collected by that year. Until then, mercury vehicle switches will continue to be recovered, recycled and buckets transported at no cost to participants, regardless of whether switch incentive payments are available. You can learn more by visiting the Web site for the End of Life Vehicle Solutions, Inc. Join the NVMSRP.

(13 pp., 126 KB; About PDF)
August 2006 Fact Sheet: National Vehicle Mercury Switch Recovery Program
January 2009 Fact Sheet: Here's How Your Local Government Can Switch on a New Green Program (PDF) (47L, 1 pp., about PDF)
2006-2007 Annual Report of the National Vehicle Mercury Switch Recovery Program (PDF) (31 pp., 391K, about PDF)
October 2007 Final Significant New Use Rule (SNUR) to require notification to EPA prior to U.S. manufacture, import, or processing of elemental mercury for use in convenience light switches, anti-lock brake system switches, and active ride control system switches in certain motor vehicles.
December 2007 final air toxics standards for area sources that use electric arc furnaces (EAFs) in steel manufacturing. This rule reduces mercury emissions by requiring that EAF steel makers buy motor vehicle scrap from providers that participate in the National Vehicle Mercury Switch Recovery Program.
February 2008: Partnership program recovers one million switches Press release