By Lindsey Cooke
Toronto, Ontario — August 23, 2018 — Darrell Pitman, the owner of P&G Parts in North Bay has participated in multiple programs, events and causes for the auto recycling community. He recently attended the Tundra Take-Back this year for the third time. This time he was the only auto-recycler there among the team.
Tundra Take-Back is a program associated with the Canadian Auto Recyclers and Scout Environment designed to educate Northern communities on how to de-pollute and recycle end-of-life vehicles properly.
Unmanaged extra low voltage’s contain harmful pollutants and occupy significant space within community dumpsites. They are rarely recycled due to complicated and costly process of shipping.
Some of the programs goals are to develop a northern vehicle recycling guide, train and hire northern community members to assist with the recovery and recycling of ELVs, as well as to help the environment and land overall.
This year Pitman travelled with the team to northern Manitoba in the communities of Garden Hill and St.Theresa Point. He said the reason why he dedicates his time to this program is to give back to the industry as there is a demand for it within the northern communities.
According to Pitman it’s important because they don’t know how to recycle end-of-life vehicles. “They’ve never had to until now,” he said.
Anything around here is processed because of the access to the proper training, tools and equipment but up there it’s not the same, Pitman explained.
“I am back home in North Bay now. My Tundra Take Back trip is over. I now have a better understanding of the remote First Nations community’s struggle with End Of Life Vehicles. I have confidence that Scout Environmental Tundra Take Back Programs [have] [given] these communities the tool and know-how to face this problem head on,” he posted on Facebook.
So-far the program has removed thousands of kilograms of waste including, over 1,300 tires, over 500 lead-acid batteries, 20 tonnes of scrap metal, 24-208-litre drums of oil, spent gasoline and antifreeze, as well as 2 lbs of refrigerants.
