When you pop the hood or trunk of your car, a light comes on. If you drive a pre-2003 North American-made vehicle or an import from the 1990s, there’s a chance that the switch that activates that light contains mercury. These switches, and those which activate anti-lock braking systems, account for more than 99% of the mercury in automobiles today, with the other one percent found as a gas in high intensity discharge (HID) headlamps and navigational displays. Each convenience-lighting switch contains just less than a gram of mercury, but cumulatively they amount to 13 to 15 tonnes of mercury in vehicles on the road in Canada today, with over 5 tonnes in Ontario alone. Mercury in automobiles is the single largest source of mercury in use in Canadian products.

Import auto makers ceased using mercury switches in the mid-1990s, while North American auto makers only began phasing them out in 1995. It wasn't until model year 2003 that mercury switches finally stopped being used in new cars. This represents a huge step forward for the North American auto manufacturing industry. However, there still remains a 10 to 15 year legacy of mercury switches that needs to be responsibly managed.

Cars have yet to become mercury-free. No manufacturers have yet agreed to eliminate mercury from HID headlamps. In fact the use of these lamps is increasing. Mercury is also found in navigational displays, a feature which is becoming more and more popular in new automobiles.

If you’re an owner or a passenger in a car that uses mercury switches, you’re not in danger of mercury poisoning. The switches are designed to last the entire life of the vehicle. This is when Switch Out becomes important - over 95% of vehicles coming off the road in Canada are recycled. The first step occurs at an auto dismantling or recycling facility, where the cars are dismantled, hazardous fluids and other materials removed, and parts are salvaged for resale. The car is then crushed, shredded and melted in an electric arc furnace to produce new steel. 100% of the mercury contained in a vehicle will be released as it passes through this process. Switch Out asks auto recyclers to spend a few minutes to pull the switch, pop out the mercury pellet and drop it in a Switch Out container, to make sure this doesn’t happen. This program is entirely voluntary, and its success is due to the commitment and efforts of auto recyclers in communities across the country.