We are pleased to announce that Summerhill Impact has won a Minister's Award for Environmental Excellence for work on the Switch Out program. This award from the Ontario Ministry of the Environment recognizes initiatives that show excellence in pollution prevention, stewardship and environmental community building.

Some vehicle makes and models manufactured before 2003 contain mercury switches in their convenience lighting assemblies and anti-lock braking system (ABS) sensor modules. Mercury is a toxic, bio-accumulative and persistent heavy metal that can have impacts on the environment and human health if not properly contained and disposed of. Switch Out is a national program designed to remove, collect and manage these sources of mercury in end-of-life vehicles before they are flattened, shredded and recycled into new steel. Vehicles are no longer being manufactured with mercury switches, but it is important to manage those found in older model vehicles as they are retired from the road.


Since the program began in 2001, Switch Out has recovered and properly managed over half a million mercury switches. That's equivalent to 425 kilograms of mercury, or the weight of an adult male polar bear. It is important to manage mercury properly as even a small amount can have a significant impact. Switch Out would not have been able to reach this milestone without the dedication of our program funders, supporters and hundreds of automotive recyclers and dismantlers across Canada.


About Summerhill Impact:

Summerhill Impact is a not-for-profit organization that delivers many of Canada's largest and most successful environmental public engagement campaigns. In addition to Switch Out, Summerhill Impact currently offers a number of other programs including Car Heaven, Switch the 'Stat, and Mow Down Pollution. For more information about Summerhill, please visit www.summerhillimpact.ca