Indiana Agency Recognizes Auto Recycler with Award

Bruce Palin (left), assistant commissioner for IDEM's Office of Land Quality, presents the Indiana Clean Yard - Gold Level award to Charles and Deborah Wright, owners, and Wayne and Tracy Robbins.

Wright’s Auto Salvage, located in Nashville, Ind., has received the Indiana Department of Environmental Management’s (IDEM) Indiana Clean Yard – Gold Level award. It is the IDEM’s highest honor.

The award, received March 16, follows on the heels of the auto recycler receiving the agency’s “Clean Yard” designation in February.

According to an IDEM announcement, the company implemented additional measures to ensure environmental protections after receiving the first designation in February.

The Clean Yard program was established in 2009 as a collaborative effort of IDEM and the Automotive Recyclers of Indiana Inc. (ARI) to decrease environmental threats posed by vehicles in salvage yards.

“If not managed properly, antifreeze, gasoline, oil, brake fluid, transmission fluid, batteries, mercury switches or tires that may come with wrecked vehicles can wreak environmental havoc,” says Bruce Palin, IDEM’s assistant commissioner, Office of Land. “IDEM works with automotive recyclers to help them manage fluids and other car parts in a safe manner and has devised a way that to reward those that exceed minimum state and federal requirements.”

“Recycling viable used auto parts lessens the amount of materials sent to landfills and saves natural resources used to manufacture new products,” says Thomas Easterly, IDEM’s commissioner. “The lower price tags on used parts can also help meet the needs of different financial levels.”