What is the Task Force?
A collaboration of government, non-profit, and industrial stakeholders promoting cleaner scrap yard and automotive recycling business practices.  The City of Philadelphia leads the task force, working with a range of organizations including the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PaDEP), United States Army Corp of Engineers, Pennsylvania Small Business Development Center’s Environmental Management Assistance Program (SBDC-EMAP), Southwest Philadelphia Scrap Dealers Association, Pennsylvania Automotive Recycling Trade Society (PARTS), Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries, Inc. (ISRI), and Philadelphia Authorized Towers and Salvors Association (PATSA). The task force provides site management assistance, offers educational workshops, and enforces existing laws.

 But does it really matter?
Yes! Many licensed scrap yards and auto recyclers may unknowingly violate state and federal laws or fail to perform important best management practices. Not only does proper compliance and planning avoid dangerous and destructive pollution and storm water problems, but it also saves businesses time and money while creating a clean and responsible facility.

Background
The City of Philadelphia has received numerous complaints about the operation of scrap metal and auto salvage businesses in the City. Some of these complaints involve existing businesses, while many involve facilities which are unlicensed, and which operate in violation of existing zoning regulations.
We realize that many licensed scrap dealers operate responsibly; however, some, whether knowingly, or in open disregard of the law, operate in violation of various City, state and federal environmental laws, causing damage to our communities, as well as endangering the health and safety of our citizens.

To address these concerns, the Task Force aims to educate and assist all those scrap yard operators eager and willing to comply with various laws and regulations. However, the government regulators involved on the Task Force will enforce existing regulations against those unwilling to cooperate, particularly those who operate illegally, often in residential neighborhoods, and those who do not observe the recommended business practices of their professional associations. These illegal operations particularly have been a scar on our neighborhoods, contributing to short dumping, litter, blighted lots, and environmental harm.

City residents who live near, or who are aware of large piles of waste tires, accumulated automobile waste parts and other debris, should not live with these conditions. You are encouraged to call 215-686-1776, 24 hours, 7 days, to report the location of these conditions, particularly if you notice dumping or environmental contamination taking place, and can report details.

Residential households may also accumulate automotive materials such as used motor oil. Accordingly, we encourage homeowners who change their own automotive motor oil to use any of the facilities noted on the separate link noted in this website, which will accept used motor oil from you. Please do not pour petroleum substances into city sewers and drains, or dispose of these substances yourselves illegally. Individuals will also be subject to fines and penalties.
The City also encourages its residents to take full advantage of the Streets Department's periodic "household hazardous waste collection days," where used motor oils, lead-acid batteries, brake fluids, degreasers, and auto body repair products may be disposed of easily and without out of pocket cost. Find the Streets Department's locations "household hazardous waste collection day" events near you here. Please note that commercial scrap yards cannot participate in household hazardous collection days, or take used motor oils to the locations noted above.

In the future, we never want to see places like this: >>>>
In the future we want to see yards like this >>>>>

The Task Force has already performed over 50 inspections, several of which have resulted in criminal arrests, along with a multitude of violations to environmental codes and regulations. We are quite pleased that many of the property owners involved with these inspections are actively cooperating to correct these problems.

The Task Force is eager to help those automotive scrap recyclers and dealers to learn best practices, and to comply with the environmental laws and regulations, which impact their business. To that extent, the trade associations have worked with the Task Force to present compliance seminars. We have also sent a compliance manual and a listing of all codes and regulations to licensed automotive scrap recyclers and dealers. This website also contains the Pennsylvania Recycling Resources for Salvage Yards which is a list of sites that accept commercial salvage auto parts and materials such as antifreeze, batteries, gasoline, mercury switches and scrap metal from commercial scrap yard operators. Businesses that accept auto salvage materials that are not on this list may be added by noting the contact information on that link. This particular link is for commercial scrap yards only. This web site will also consist of periodic updates of the names and addresses of those automotive scrap dealers, which are environmentally clean and safe, along with those, which were subject to enforcement, but have taken the corrective actions to improve their businesses. These operators deserve special recognition, and through this web site, they will receive it.
 
Those facilities reading this website who fear they may be out of compliance and who wish to obtain assistance can call the same hot line number that is reserved for citizen complaints noted above. Your call will be referred to someone from the Task Force who will help you with compliance issues. All those earnestly seeking to comply will not be turned away, nor will arbitrary enforcement be pursued.
On the other hand, those operators operate illegally, or in violation of existing laws, and in opposition to the best practices advocated by their associations, and who choose not to avail themselves of this opportunity, can expect serious enforcement.
This site also currently contains the following information:

• A listing of all City, state, and federal environmental laws that have an impact on the scrap yard industry;

• A brochure on “Best Management Practices” for Scrap Metal and Used Auto Parts, developed by the Task Force

• A “Check List” to help those businesses review their operations.

Telephone numbers and contact representatives from various agencies, as well as representatives from responsible trade associations are included in these materials.