Recycling TPMS

Riding the road for thousands of miles, Tire Pressure Monitoring Sensors (TPMS) provide valuable safety information for drivers. In fact, an estimated 180 lives are saved by this technology each year, according the NHTSA.

Installed on every tire, TPMS measure tire pressure and send a signal illuminating a warning lamp on the dashboard when tire pressure is 25 percent below the minimum acceptable level. According to the NHTSA, tire pressure becomes a safety issue at this 25 percent underinflated threshold.

Underinflation can influence accidents involving:

  • Skidding and/or a loss of control of the vehicle in a curve
  • Skidding and/or loss of control of the vehicle in a lane change maneuver
  • Hydroplaning on a wet surface
  • An increase in stopping distance
  • Flat tires and blowouts

Proper tire inflation is essential not only for passenger safety, but vehicle efficiency as well. Vehicles with properly inflated tires experience shorter braking distances, longer tire life and improved fuel economy.

TPMS are installed on all new vehicles sold in the U.S.

As mandated by U.S. legislation, North American car manufacturers have fully adopted TPMS as an integral safety system. The TREAD ACT, passed in 2000, required 100 percent of all new cars to come equipped with TPMS by the time 2008 models arrived at American dealerships.

The TREAD Act requires original car manufacturers to equip all new vehicles with:

  • Monitoring of tire pressure in all four tires (but not the spare tire)
  • A TPMS system that operates when the vehicle ignition is on and warns the driver when tires are underinflated by 25% or more
  • A TPMS system that alerts the driver when there is a system malfunction
  • A TPMS warning light that stays on until the tire is inflated to the proper pressure or the system malfunction is corrected
  • A bulb check of the warning light on the instrument panel that occurs whenever the ignition is turned on
  • Vehicle owner’s manuals that contain warnings about potentially incompatible replacement tires for the vehicle

Recycling TPMS

TPMS powered by lithium batteries have a 5-to-6-year lifespan. Classified as hazardous material, lithium batteries must be properly disposed of in accordance with local, state and federal regulations.

Recycling TPMS helps dealerships easily and safely dispose of hazardous waste. Quest provides clients with a DOT compliant, 5-gallon pail along with paperwork and shipping labels to collect used TPMS. They are then sent to a hazardous waste disposal facility, where lithium batteries are properly managed and recyclable materials are recovered. Through the recycling process, TPMS components like plastic and metal are used in the manufacture of new products.

Quest’s turnkey solution for recycling TPMS can quickly be rolled out to dealerships across the nation, helping your operation remain compliant with hazardous waste regulations.

Feature image credit: otomobil/Shutterstock

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