Airbag disposal
Safely removing and disposing of airbag modules and inflators, especially recalled ones, from scrap vehicles.
Airbag disposal covers the safe removal and handling of airbag modules and their explosive inflators from damaged and scrap vehicles. Undeployed airbags can be resold as used parts in some cases, but recalled inflators must be taken out of circulation.
If you’re buying a used airbag, check the vehicle’s recall status. If you’re junking a car with an open airbag recall, the yard should handle the inflator safely rather than resell it.
The EPA issued an interim final rule in 2018 to speed removal of defective Takata airbag inflators from vehicles at dealerships, salvage yards and other locations. It exempts collection of this airbag waste from hazardous waste requirements when certain conditions are met, citing the risk of defective inflators in scrap vehicles being reused.1
References
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Federal Register, “Safe Management of Recalled Airbags” (EPA interim final rule, November 30, 2018), https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2018/11/30/2018-25892/safe-management-of-recalled-airbags ↩