5/29/2023 0 Comments Auto dismantler los angeles![]() Otherwise this toxic problem will become a crisis as the underground economy of unlicensed auto dismantlers grows larger than the small businesses who play by the rules and remain committed to safeguarding the public and our environment.Įd’s Note: Sean Bothwell is the executive director of the California Coastkeeper Alliance. As these electric cars reach the end of life, this Administration needs a strong, vibrant and regulated industry in place to safely process hazardous batteries and car parts. We are hopeful that Governor Gavin Newsom agrees, given his goal of having 1.5 million electric vehicles on the road by 2025. ![]() Santiago’s view that this is a matter of environmental justice is shared by a large and diverse group of stakeholders, including environmentalists, employers, local government, labor, law enforcement and social justice organizations. So, it is with good fortune that Assemblymember Miguel Santiago (D– Los Angeles) has introduced Assembly Bill 238, legislation that extends the strike team, given its impact on the environment and public health risks to people of all races, color, national origin, income status and location. Since 2017 the DMV successfully raided 824 unlicensed operations before its “Unlicensed Auto Dismantling Industry Strike Team” (VDIST) program expired on December 30, 2019.īy all accounts this underground economy could be twice as big as anyone can imagine. Given this reality, the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) established the first in the nation multi-agency strike team to combat this growing epidemic. Today, the number has declined 39% to 951, even as the number of vehicles has increased in a state that has the most vehicles in the country. In 2000, there were 1,552 licensed dismantlers in California. For California’s auto dismantling industry, it is putting far too many of them out of business. The revenue lost to those who operate licensed businesses is estimated at $1.5 billion dollars annually and of that loss, over $100 million in tax revenue is lost to local government. The size and extent of this underground market is simply astonishing, and so are the consequences. However, each year over 30% or 360,000 vehicles simply disappear into California’s underground economy of unlicensed auto dismantlers. Today, there are over 28 million registered vehicles in California and approximately 1.2 million are disposed of annually when they get old or damaged beyond repair. They can be found almost anywhere in California, in most business directories and frequently in underserved communities.īy all accounts this underground economy could be twice as big as anyone can imagine. Such businesses do not operate in the shadows like chop shops. Then consider that these cash-only businesses fail to provide their employees with a safe working environment or fair wages, accept stolen goods and do not pay taxes. Imagine a business that is unregulated and not held accountable for the improper handling of hazardous materials and fluids that make their way into our drinking water and the waterways that support our wildlife.
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