URG Members Across the Nation Get Ready to Accept ‘Cash for Clunkers’ Vehicles for Reuse and Recycli

‘We’re here to help’ might well be the new motto of the United Recyclers Group (URG). Their members are getting ready for a ‘green wave’ of business from new car dealers across America as the ‘Cash for Clunkers’ concept becomes reality. With industry leading programs like URG accreditation, to assure quality standards, and the state of the art Pinnacle management system, to facilitate parts sales and shipping to repairers and collision centers, members of the United Recyclers Group are ready to give new car dealers world class customer service.

Recent passage of the ‘Cash for Clunkers’ bill in Congress has transformed the controversial idea into law (Consumer Assistance to Recycle and Save Act of 2009), which in turn has created the ‘Car Allowance Rebate System (CARS) program, backed with one billion dollars in funding. With President Obama’s signature on June 24, 2009, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) was given 30 days to issue final regulations implementing the CARS program. Meanwhile, the nation’s auto recyclers, led by members of the United Recyclers Group and the Automotive Recycling Association (ARA), are now preparing for what is expected to be a sizable number of automobiles that will come from dealers who have accepted trade-ins that meet the stipulated age and mileage (mpg) requirements of CARS.

“URG is gearing up for the new CARS regulations, which are expected to be released on July 23, 2009,” says Michelle Alexander, URG executive director. She adds that, “We are working hard to help our members and others in the auto recycling industry get ready to assist dealers who need to know where to send the cars they receive in the CARS program for green processing. Following CARS guidelines, URG members will be dismantling these older vehicles for reuse and recycling, following all local, state and environmental laws in the process. This is a real win for the public, because it will help turn an environmentally unfriendly concept – Cash for Clunkers -into a really green program – CARS.”

New car dealers can visit the URG website at www.u-r-g.com to find a local URG member who will assist them in making arrangements for green processing and recycling their Cash for Clunker vehicles received from their customers purchasing new vehicles.

“We’re planning to provide high quality service to new car dealers who want a green and profitable way to deal with all of the older vehicles they will suddenly have to deal with as a part of their sales process,” says John Fischl, president of Riteway Auto Parts (Phoenix, AZ), and a URG Manager. “Frankly, along with the good aspects of the CARS program, which will hopefully stimulate new cars sales, comes a headache for car dealers, which is what to do with a lot of old cars that have a lot of rules and paperwork attached to them. URG members can help the dealers comply with the regulations of the program in addition to maximizing their returns on those vehicles. For us, this is going to be a win-win-win, good for the dealers, good for the environment, and good for our members.”

“The ‘Cash for Clunkers’ idea was surprisingly unfriendly to the environment,” says Richard Filley, executive director of the Green CARR Foundation. “But with the help of auto recycling industry organizations like URG and the Automotive Recycling Association (ARA), some really onerous parts of the legislation got changed at the last minute. As a result, with the new CARS program, it will now be possible for auto recyclers to help new car dealers to make more money, and do it in a very green way. If the dealers just ship their ‘clunkers’ to scrap processors, this won’t happen. They can turn those liabilities into assets by selling them to auto parts recyclers for reuse prior to being scrapped. This maximizes the financial and green benefits of these vehicles instead of relegating them to the scrap heap. We want to help URG and ARA get the word out to dealers that working with the auto recycling industry is the smart and profitable thing for them to do.”

More information on the federal government’s new CARS program is available at their website (www.cars.gov), which is being updated frequently. The site contains a list of frequently asked questions. Also, a toll free fraud hotline has been set up by NHTSA at 1-800-424-9071.

URG has taken the lead in creating new awareness and understanding of the modern green automotive recycling industry, including the preparation of the PowerPoint presentation, “Green, Lean, and Sustainable: The New Era of Automotive Recycling.” URG: Working together to improve and modernize the green automotive recycling industry. For more information, go to the United Recyclers Group website at www.u-r-g.com or call 303-367-4391.

For over 60 years the Automotive Recyclers Association (ARA) has represented an industry dedicated to the efficient removal and reuse of automotive parts, and the safe disposal of inoperable motor vehicles. ARA is the only trade association serving the automotive recycling industry in 12 countries internationally. For more information, go to the Automotive Recyclers Association website at www.a-r-a.org or call 888-385-1005