Airbag Disposal

Airbags should be properly disposed of for safety, environmental and regulatory purposes. When airbags are un-deployed the inflators use sodium azide to generate the gas that fills the bag in the event of an accident. Sodium azide in isolation is toxic, dangerous when inhaled and can burn exposed skin. When mixed with water it forms hydrazoic acid and becomes extremely toxic and can enter groundwater as hazardous waste. Government regulations and the requirements are in place for governing the handling and disposal of deployed or un-deployed airbag modules for proper disposal or recycling of Airbags.

Regulations Requirements:

A Class 9 waste stream with a DOT/EPA exemption…..

6)Safety devices removed from a vehicle. When removed from, or were intended to be used in, a motor vehicle that was manufactured as required for use in the United States and offered for domestic transportation by highway or cargo vessel to Recycling or Waste Disposal facilities, a serviceable safety device classed as Class 9 UN3268 may be offered for transportation and transported in the following additional packaging:

(i) Specification and non-specification steel drums with a wall and lid thickness not less than 20 gauge. The lid must be securely affixed with a lever-locking or bolted-ring assembly. The lid of the drum must provide ventilation of the drum contents in a fire. The drum may be filled with any combination of safety devices to a capacity not greater than fifty (50) percent of the drum‘s total volume. In addition, inner packaging or cushioning may not be used to fill the void space; or

(ii) Outer packaging consisting of 4H2 solid plastic boxes or non-specification rugged reusable plastic outer packaging and inner static-resistant plastic bags or trays. If not completely enclosed by design, the container or handling device must be covered with plastic, fiberboard, metal or other suitable material. The covering must be secured to the container by banding or other comparable methods. The articles must be packed to prevent movement within the container during transportation.

(f)Labeling. Notwithstanding the provisions of § 172.402, each package or handling device must display a CLASS 9 label. Additional labeling is not required when the package contains no hazardous materials other than the devices.