NH DES Recognizes Scrap Yard as "Green Yard"

The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services has recognized Park Avenue Auto Parts, Salem, N.H., for becoming a Certified N.H. Green Yard, a distinction reserved for auto salvage yards that use exemplary environmental work practices.

The requirements for becoming a certified green yard were developed by DES, working with the N.H. Auto & Truck Recyclers Association. The program is one of several initiatives the DES is implementing to improve environmental performance at auto salvage yards and provide incentive for going beyond compliance.

There are now 23 Certified N.H. Green Yards in the state.

Park Avenue Auto Parts is a thirty-five year old business. Michael McClellan, the current owner has been in the auto salvage trade for 15 years and has owned the business for 4 years.

McClellan has taken action to run a clean facility and prevent pollution that can result from such operations, including having a site investigation conducted to test for contaminants, hiring a consultant to develop a stormwater pollution plan and having an environmental mat installed in the yard. The environmental mat acts as a barrier between the ground and potential pollutants, so in the case of a spill it can be easily cleaned up. This mat is one of few that have been installed at auto salvage yards in New Hampshire.

The DES has been working with over 150 auto salvage yards throughout the state to improve environmental practices and to bring them into compliance with existing state and federal environmental requirements.

According to NHATRA President Jeff Kantor, New Hampshire’s auto salvage yards recycle over 50,000 end-of-life vehicles yearly.