AORC ABIRD COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES
Tuesday, August 09, 2005
11:00-11:52 p.m.
Teleconference Participants: Jeff Mieth, Ray Tarnowski, Jeff Kantor, Leonard Burton, Daren Koldewyn, Chuck Wieseckel, Craig Ragland, Holly Carlson, George Kirchoff
AGENDA/DISCUSSION SUMMARY:
1. EPA ECCAT
The inaccurate references to sodium azide have been removed. This item is complete but we will continue to track.
2. Recycling Position Paper
After almost ten years of trying to establish in writing the regulations applicable to handling inflators/modules and seatbelts pretensioners/retractors, the Lion Technology fact sheet was approved. This fact sheet only addresses the regulatory requirements at the federal level but establishes a very good base for states to work from. This new version has no reference to individual states.
3. AORC Web Site
The Lion Technology fact sheet on Inflator/Seat Belt Pretensioners Recycling will be added to the ABIRD page. Positive comments were made regarding the changes recently made to the ABIRD page.
5. End-of-Life Vehicle (ELV)
Handling and Neutralization of Pyrotechnical devices in ELV - Prior to our meeting Jeff Meith distributed a draft copy for comments. He is collected and forwarded comments back to Laura Brandt. A discussion was held concerning the feasibility of following something like this in the US. Comments were made that while this may be feasible in Europe and Asia where there is an ELV fee assessed, it will not be practicable for the recyclers to remove the pyrotechnic devices in the US because there is no way to pay for the expense of labor to remove these devices prior to shredding.
The bulk of time was spent on ELV issues. We talked about the progress that has been made by eliminating the more toxic chemicals like sodium azide from safety restraint devices, developing Single Point Deployment, and changes in OEM specifications requiring both stages of duel stage inflators to be fired.
We identified that more progress is needed in shredding operations. ARA pointed out that only 1% of inflators are removed prior to the shredding of vehicles. While the group felt that shredding operations might be beyond the reach of this committee we could at least facilitate a meeting between the shredders. Leonard will contact Scott Horne of the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries and try to set up a meeting with a few subcommittee members.
6. Single Point Deployment
No new information was available. We will continue to track
7. New Issues
An article in the Salt Lake Tribune talked about an interview with Discovery Channel where the person from Discovery Channel said that "Éyou too could rig up a contraption that would launch a 55-gallon drum sky high with the exploding air bag." Information about this article will be passed on to AORC to consider sending a letter to Discovery Channel expressing concern for putting this information out to the public where it could be used by kids or even terrorists to the detriment of society.
We plan to meet again on Tuesday, Nov 15 at 11:00 a.m. mountain time.