Eliminating Undesirable Materials

For more than 20 years, our Restricted Substance Management Standard has spelled out materials to be avoided or eliminated in Ford operations and in the parts and materials provided by suppliers. This and other materials management tools are helping us to meet and exceed customer expectations and ensure compliance with regulations.

Eliminating Mercury

Ford has decreased the use of mercury-containing components, which can pose problems at the end of a vehicle's life. In 2001, we eliminated mercury-containing switches, which accounted for more than 99 percent of the mercury used in our U.S. vehicles. Since that time, we have continued to focus on mercury reduction by working to eliminate this substance in the remaining mercury-containing components, including high-intensity discharge headlamps, navigation system screens and family entertainment system screens. As of 2010, all Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles in the U.S. are mercury-free, with the exception of select vehicles with entertainment system displays and the Lincoln Town Car, which uses mercury in its high-intensity discharge headlamps.

In addition, we have helped to forge a collaboration between the Environmental Protection Agency, states, auto dismantlers, auto scrap recyclers, steelmakers and environmental groups to recycle mercury switches from end-of-life vehicles. This effort was rolled out across the United States in 2007 and now has more than 9,000 participants joining the effort from the recycling industry. By the end of 2009, more than three tons of mercury from these switches had been recovered. An online database tracks the number of participants in the program as well as the number of switches collected by state.

Eliminating Chromium and Lead

Hexavalent chromium – "hex chrome" for short – is a corrosion coating (used, for example, on nuts, bolts and brackets in cars and trucks) that the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration lists as a potential lung carcinogen. We did not wait for global regulations banning the use of hex chrome to take effect: we phased out its use worldwide. By 2007, Ford eliminated all hex-chrome-containing parts in Europe and North America. Replacement coatings have been thoroughly tested to ensure that they meet Ford's performance requirements.

In North America, Ford has completed the transition away from lead wheel weights. In addition, Ford's Customer Service Division no longer offers lead wheel weights for sale to dealers, but offers steel wheel weights in their stead.

Ford has joined the EPA and other stakeholders in a commitment to reduce the use of lead in wheel weights through participation in the National Lead-Free Wheel Weight Initiative. Through this initiative, Ford has shared its experience with lead wheel weight phase-out with aftermarket wheel balancers, and encourages all stakeholders to discontinue the use of lead in wheel weights.

Since mid-2003, Ford of Europe phased out lead in valve seats for all new vehicle models approved for launch in the European Union. Also in Europe, we phased out the use of lead wheel weights and reduced the lead content in aluminum in new and serviced vehicles in mid-2005, and phased-out lead in pyrotechnic initiators by mid-2006. We further reduced the lead content in aluminum in 2008.

Reducing Undesirable Chemicals

Ford is one of the first automotive companies to begin efforts to reduce a range of undesirable chemicals that are monitored by the European Union, U.S. and Canadian governments. These chemicals include hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDD), a chemical that has been identified as a substance of concern under the European Union's REACH regulations (Registration, Evaluation, Authorization, and restriction of Chemicals). Ford is also working to reduce decabromodiphenyl ether (Deca-BDE), another substance of concern that the EPA has proposed to regulate. Ford is working to eliminate these substances ahead of the timelines defined by governmental regulations by working with suppliers to develop new and "greener" alternative materials that will make our products more environmentally friendly.