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Automakers Challenge Maine’s Auto Mercury Law

The automakers recent lawsuit against the State of Maine’s mercury recovery law for automobile components underscores that mercury contamination of the environment is a serious health risk for America's children. The National Research Council estimates that approximately 60,000 children may be born in the United States each year with neurological problems due to mercury exposure in the womb. Use of mercury in automobiles has contributed to mercury contamination in Maine and across the country despite cost-effective mercury-free alternatives available for over a decade. It is unfortunate that automakers are unwilling to accept responsibility for their toxic legacy, and help contribute to the effective solution developed by Maine's legislature.

The legislation the Alliance for Automobile Manufacturers is questioning does not require automakers to enter the recycling business against their will. As provided for in the legislation, the automakers can utilize the infrastructure that already exists. By so doing, the law requires automakers to compensate, not subsidize, the industries in this infrastructure for managing the toxic material the auto industry chose to design into their vehicles.

Maine should be commended for its legislation that addresses the problems caused by automotive mercury. Because of their leadership, a number of other states in the region and across the country are considering similar legislation that holds automakers responsible use of toxic substances in manufacturing and attempts to minimize the impacts caused by vehicle design. We would encourage the Alliance for Automobile Manufacturers to establish its own system to effectively address the environmental impacts of their industry, rather than trying to pass it off to recyclers and state governments.

 

The Clean Car Campaign is a project of the Ecology Center, a nonprofit organization.

email: info@cleancarcampaign.org