To Deploy, or Not to Deploy: How to Handle Airbags

 by Peter Zaidel

How do technicians at your facility handle airbags after they are removed from vehicles during a service or collision repair? Some state regulatory agencies recently changed the way they look at compliance procedures around predisposal airbag deployment, which makes this is a good time to take a look at your facility’s standard procedures. This article is intended to be part of the discussion of what to do with airbags that are removed from vehicles at your dealership. For definitive compliance information in your area, you should contact your local KPA engineer.

To Deploy…

Because the inflating device in airbags contains reactive and explosive materials, the FAA and United States DOT classify undeployed airbags as HazMat, and the Federal EPA classifies the disposal of undeployed airbags as hazardous waste (same for seat belt pretensioners). In most states, after airbags are deployed it is no longer classified as HazMat or hazardous waste, which makes shipping and disposing of the devices much easier. This led many facilities to deploy airbags manually, which until recently was an acceptable, nonregulated practice as long as it was performed safely with the right equipment.

Not to Deploy…

Because they consider airbag deployment “treatment of a hazardous waste” many state regulatory agencies require state issued permits, or require personnel certification, or licensing to perform airbag deployments at a facility. This means that the manual deployment of airbag components for disposal purposes may not be a “best practice” in many states.
You should review local and state regulations and train personnel to follow consistent and compliant practices and, where appropriate, contract a licensed hazardous waste transporter, disposal facility or recycler to manage undeployed airbags. Requirements for licenses and permits vary from state to state.

The Question…

In the absence of national standards regulating the handling and disposal of deployed or undeployed airbags, dealerships need to stay informed of state and local rules. You should talk to your KPA engineer to evaluate which of these options is the best choice for your facility:

Dispose of, or Ship Undeployed Airbags: Make sure that all personnel involved are HazMat certified, that the subcontractor or hazardous waste hauler is certified, and that the airbags are properly handled. Read this blog post for more information about how to ship undeployed airbags.

Get State Certifications: Obtain Permits, certification or licensing required to deploy airbags, then ship or dispose of the units in accordance with local regulations

Airbag Recycling: Everything can be recycled. There are a handful of recycling facilities in the US that accept airbags. There is usually a fee for the service, along with shipping and handling costs involved with shipping undeployed airbags.