Re: Air Bags and Sodium Azide

[Joy Scrogum <jscrogum@wmrc.uiuc.edu>]

Hi Becky.  Check out the following resources:

Product Stewardship Initiative for the Automotive Industry (Minnesota
Office of Environmental Assistance and Five Winds International):
http://www.moea.state.mn.us/publications/autoPSreport.pdf

Automobile Recyclers Association:
http://www.autorecyc.org/ 
(This organization might be able to provide the information you're
looking for.)

"Life-Saving Air Bags Pack Deadly Chemical" (ENN news story,
4/4/00):
http://www.enn.com/news/enn-stories/2000/04/04042000/azide_11675.asp. 
(The researcher mentioned in the article may be a good source of
information.)

U.S. EPA Vehicle Product Stewardship pages:
http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/non-hw/reduce/epr/products/vehicles.html

You might also try contacting Pam O'Rourke (317-232-4464) or Jennifer
Fuller (317-233-2370) of IDEM.  I have them listed as contacts for
automobile salvage, and they may be of assistance.  You could also
contact Mark Harings of the Wisconsin DNR (715-831-3263).  WDNR has
an auto and scrap recycling sector initiative--see
http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/caer/cea/assistance/scrap/. 

I hope this helps.  If you find more information on specific models
and manufacturers, could you share that with me?  GLRPPR is
finalizing a topic hub for automobile salvage yards, and this would be
useful information to include.

Joy

At 01:31 PM 7/8/2004 -0500, you wrote:
> I'm looking for data on the use of
> sodium azide in automobile air bags. 
> I've found that Honda discontinued its use in 1998 but I can't find
> information on any other auto manufacturers.  
>
> Does anyone know where I can get the information?  
>
> Thanks,
>
> Becky Lockart
> Pollution Prevention Specialist
> Office of Pollution Prevention
> Illinois Environmental Protection Agency
> 1021 North Grand Avenue East
> P.O. Box 19276
> Springfield, IL  62794-9276
> 217/524-9642 (voice)
> 217/557-2125 (fax)
> Becky.Lockart@epa.state.il.us

Joy Scrogum
Information Specialist
Illinois Waste Management and Research Center
Great Lakes Regional Pollution Prevention Roundtable
Greening Schools
217-333-8948
jscrogum@wmrc.uiuc.edu