Safelyand legallydisposing of undeployed airbags
Your dealership replaces an undeployed airbag under recall, or you replace a defective one under warranty. What are your obligations under environmental regulations?
Undeployed airbags are regulated as hazardous materials by the U.S. Department of Transportation and are considered hazardous waste in most states. Heres how to comply with the law:
Train employees. Federal regulations require training for dealership personnel to prepare, transport or supervise transportation of hazardous materials.
Use a hazardous waste transporter, disposal facility or recycler for disposal of undeployed airbags. Putting undeployed airbags in the trash is the same as pouring used oil in there.
If you are operating under a recall or warranty, review your manufacturers policy. The return of undeployed airbags may present a special problem that should be addressed by the manufacturers policy.
Check who pays for handling and disposal of undeployed airbags in a recall or warranty. The manufacturer should pay as part of the replacement, but make sure you know the manufacturers policy and your rights under state law before making a claim.
(Used by permission of attorney Michael Charapp, Charapp & Weiss, LLP.)
Download Bulletin PDF