By Janet Taylor
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| Scenes like this in Canada’s north could soon be a thing of the past, thanks to a new project by ARC and Summerhill Impact. |
Toronto, Ontario — December 4, 2013 — Over the course of the coming year, a group of members of the Automotive Recyclers of Canada (ARC) will boldly go where virtually no recyclers have gone before, north of the famed Canadian 60th parallel. Their mission will be to bring their understanding and know-how to remote communities in Nunavut, where vehicle recycling as we know it is practically non-existent. If they are successful, they could forever change the face of end-of-life vehicle management in Canada.
Like many industries, vehicle recycling hasn’t naturally spread to the Canadian territories because the vastness of the land eliminates traditional market drivers including proximity to recycling facilities and major parts markets. The result is that derelict vehicles accumulate for years, sometimes decades at a time, and slowly emit their pollutants into the fragile northern environment. If and when end-of-life vehicles are finally recovered, it is often by a group that doesn’t share ARC’s dedication to environmental protection.
To address this issue, ARC signed on to support their long-time partner Summerhill in an initiative geared at piloting north-of-60 solutions. Summerhill, with major funding support from ARC, steel recycling giant Gerdau Ameristeel and Environment Canada’s EcoAction Community Fund, will work with industry professionals and northern champions to develop context-appropriate training materials and de-pollution processes.
Vehicle recycling experts, including a team from ARC, will then travel to three remote villages to train local community members and ultimately work with them to recover a targeted 250 vehicles.
“Developing solutions in northern regions is a natural fit with ARC’s mandate to address Canada-wide concerns and to be involved in the betterment of the automotive recycling industry on a truly national scale,†said ARC’s Managing Director Steve Fletcher when asked about the association’s choice to support Summerhill’s project. “This program showcases the community-focused, entrepreneurial spirit of our members who couldn’t be happier to share their expertise with fellow Canadians.â€
In sharing this expertise, ARC will help build the capacity of northern communities to manage end-of-life vehicles, which could have wide-ranging positive outcomes in terms of pollution prevention and job creation.
The project takes place over the twelve-month period that started in October 2013.
