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Scrap Metal Merchants Insights

Spills and Prevention
Implement safety precautions to prevent tipping of
appliances which could cause spills of toxic compounds.
Drain all fluids from appliances on an impervious surface such
as a concrete pad.
Employ oil-water separators throughout the site and
especially near places where spills are more likely to occur.
Install paved surfaces to prevent contaminates from
infiltrating the soil.
Place a layer of cardboard between batteries to absorb
liquids that have leaked.
Parts Cleaning and Sorting
A HEPA filter vacuum cleaner can be used to clean brakes and
clutch assemblies instead of solvents or water.
Remove caked-on grease or oil with a spatula before cleaning
with solvents.
Consider switching to aqueous-based cleaning.
If solvent on shop rags is kept to a minimum then these can
be sent to certified laundry services instead of being
disposed.
Clean parts in multiple stages: first, employ a dedicated
solvent washing unit then follow up with a clean rinse to
reduce solvent use.
Remove the mercury switches before a vehicle is crushed so
that mercury is not released into the surroundings.
Switches should not be placed in aluminum or tin containers
because mercury can combine with these materials and seep
through.
Remove batteries from vehicles as soon as possible so that it
does not get crushed along with the vehicle.
Reuse and Recycling
	
Test batteries to determine if they
Lead battery cable ends can be left
can be reused or sold,
on batteries for recycling.

Invitation
You are invited to share your own success stories and additional best management practices with the
EPA Pollution Prevention and Climate Change Section for consideration in our next bulletin!
Tell us what problem or challenge your small business faced, what steps you took to overcome it and
how or why it resulted in a successful outcome. Provide details like the ones you see in this bulletin
that explain how your actions resulted in cost savings, operating efficiency improvements, or other
measurable successes.
Your story could be featured in our next bulletin to serve as an example for other small businesses.
For more information and to find out how YOU can submit your success story, send an e-mail to us
at: Reeion2 PollutionPrevention@epa.eov or visit us at: http://www.epa.gov/p2/comments.htm
Special thanks to:
Wyoming Department of
Environmental Quality for
providing the "Insights"
information.
http://deq.state.wv.us/volreme
di/downloads/p2cd/Metals Chk
Salvage.html
USEPA Region 2,
Serving New Jersey, New York,
Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands.
\5/EPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
HEVENT10N
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