The Detroit News reveals that GM has stopped paying dues to the End of Life Vehicle Solutions Corp., an industry group dedicated to the safe disposal of mercury switches in scrapped vehicles (some of the dangers of mercury pollution and toxicity here). GM had paid the group $700,000 to $1,000,000 annually to prevent mercury pollution from its switches, “a substantial portion of the program’s funding,” according to the DetN. But since declaring bankruptcy, the New GM seems to think that the approximately 18 million mercury switches in its pre-2000 vehicles are no longer its problem. New GM “has never produced vehicles with mercury switches and has no mercury switch responsibility under the terms of the bankruptcy court order,” say spokesfolks. And though technically the New GM is a not the same company that built cars with mercury switches, GM’s green image-building is radically at odds with this decision. With cash-for-clunkers keeping crushing yards humming, this is going to be one of the busiest years on record for the ELVSC. In short, the perfect time to lose a major funding source. You stay classy, GM!
Wait…phew, that moment has passed. The moment where I considered going back to GM. Fortunately, GM always finds a way to shake me back to reality in no time at all.
Don’t just say classy GM, stay tone deaf too!
Are the Country Club memberships for the execs still safe?
What I don’t get is that this is supposedly a new GM, not related to “Old GM” in any way, yet though the entire top end is the same. If we’re supposed to believe that this is a new company, we need to see new leadership, and new ideas. All we’re getting is the same old recycled (or not) bullshit!
“GM has stopped paying dues to the End of Life Vehicle Solutions Corp.”
Why pay dues when they are already dead?
Maybe Congress can allocate some of their money they wanted to spend on new jets for themselves to pay for this.
Or, since they set up a $787 Billion slush fund for porkbarrel spending, maybe some can be found in there as well.
As for GM, they are bankrupt, and losing money. Since this expenditure is completely voluntary, it is also unnecessary.
“GM has never produced vehicles with mercury switches”
BULLSHIT! My 1994 Chevrolet Cavalier has a mercury switch in the trunk that operates the trunk light. In fact, the switch in my trunk is so well and effectively designed that it went cooky and kept the trunk light on all night, killing my battery. I was forced to disconnect it.
Stay classy, GM!
Other fun New GM Facts:
New GM has never had a yearly sales loss.
New GM has never had a major recall.
New GM has never lost market share.
There’s a sticker on the door jamb of my 2005 Lincoln Town Car that says it contains mercury products. I have to admit that I almost misinterpreted that at first, as being like the old Chevy engine in the Olds brouhaha. There are Mercury parts in my Lincoln! Oh nooooo!! Then I got it.
I imagine Mercurys have the same sticker, which is bizarre in its own way.
New GM got (probably illegally) to use Old GM’s debts to offset any future profits but isn’t willing to clean up after Old GM.
I can’t imagine buying anything from such a sleazy outfit.
Mercury contamination is bad news. There is a reason for the phrase, “mad as a hatter”.
@runfromcheney
if you read the article, General Motors Corporation phased out mercury from the switches from their cars in 2000, so yes, your 1994 Cavalier probably has mercury switches.
General Motors Company, LLC (New GM) just started building cars. Even today, most of the cars on GM branded dealerships were not made by them but by General Motors Corporation, (Old GM) Now proudly called Motors Liquidation Company.
I am not defending them at all, but General Motors Company, LLC hasn’t built many cars at all, let alone ones with mercury switches.
“I imagine Mercurys have the same sticker, which is bizarre in its own way.”
I’m sorry, but I need to file suit, as there should only be Ford in my Mercury.
Mercury in even very small amounts poses hazards to stainless steel and other similar metals that are used to build nuclear reactors, so you can always find these big official-looking signs “MERCURY EXCLUSION AREA”. I gave one of them to a co-worker who owned a Grand Marquis to put on his garage.
and: BASS COUGHT BEYOND THIS AREA? Please…!