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Hazardous Waste

Regulatory Status of Automotive Airbag Inflators and Fully Assembled Airbag Modules

This memorandum clarifies the regulatory status of undeployed automotive airbag modules and airbag inflators, including both those that have never been installed in a vehicle and those removed from vehicles.

EPA has published an interim final rule on the safe management of recalled airbags that exempts the collection of airbag waste from some Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) requirements as long as certain conditions are met. This new exemption is in addition to the exemptions and exclusions described in this memo, which continue to be in effect.

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