The Automotive Recyclers Association officially announced the launch of www.ECARcenter.org, a new web site that will centralize relevant and current information to help professional automotive recyclers comply with the vast array of federal and state environmental regulations that apply to the industry.
The site, which is the result of a strategic partnership between ARA, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the National Center for Manufacturing Sciences, was unveiled in conjunction with ARA’s Hill Days and Leadership Conference, held this past week in the Washington, DC area. John Peter Suarez, EPA’s Assistant Administrator for the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance, facilitated ECAR Center’s launch during his remarks Friday afternoon to Conference attendees.
“Having a top-level official from U.S. EPA promote ECARcenter.org to the industry really speaks to the significance of this new site. This type of backing, combined with the industry leadership of ARA, will make ECAR Center a vital resource for all auto recycling facilities,” said ARA Executive Vice President Bill Steinkuller. “In essence, the site will take the guesswork out of complying with environmental rules by breaking down the requirements to the state level and adding useful tips and resources – all in a user-friendly Internet format.”
In addition to communicating the federal EPA regulations that affect the industry, the site features a state-by-state synopsis of requirements as they apply to each activity associated with recycling vehicles. In addition, ECARcenter.org provides users with up-to-the-minute industry news from publications around the world.
ECARcenter.org is available to those in the automotive recycling business at no cost to the user. This, combined with the overall value of the web site content, will make the site a central resource for those who manage or work in professional automotive recycling facilities. Importantly, ARA is spearheading ECARcenter.org, enabling the site to be most responsive to industry needs.
Steinkuller continued, “The ECAR Center is a web site created by the auto recycling industry for the auto recycling industry. ARA will work diligently to ensure that the site contains helpful compliance assistance materials without adding excessive or unnecessary regulatory burdens to facilies.”
Though ECARcenter.org is still in the beginning stages of development, the web site’s structure and graphics are currently in place, and its key features and links are functional. Among the central components of the web site is the ECAR Tour, which allows users to access information compiled in easy-to-understand fact sheets on topics ranging from how to handle used antifreeze to how to dispose of wastewater. Each of the more than 20 fact sheets will be adapted to include the requirements from each state in addition to including Best Management Practices and links to other relevant Internet resources.