The Automotive Parts Remanufacturers Association (APRA) is working with
its membership to contact Congress to support a tax credit for the
purchase of equipment used to recycle or remanufacture goods.
APRA’s 1,000 members remanufacture used vehicle parts so that they may
be given another life. These parts keep many heavy-duty trucks,
construction equipment, fire trucks, off-road vehicles and agricultural
equipment around for many years by extending their useful life. They
keep vehicles running for those Americans of lesser means who cannot
afford the cost of new parts.
By remanufacturing used parts APRA
members extend both the useful life of the parts and the vehicle on
which they are used, reduce the amount of waste that flows into our
landfills and salvage most of the raw materials and energy that was
used to create the original part. Because it saves more of the labor,
the capital and energy that went into fabricating the original part,
remanufacturing is “environmentally superior” to merely recycling a
part to salvage its metal components, according to APRA.
Most remanufacturers are small businesses, and purchasing and
maintaining the proper equipment is a vital but expensive part of the
business. Assistance with acquiring and replacing such equipment in the
form of a tax credit will permit remanufacturers to produce better and
longer lasting products. Providing a tax credit will allow American
remanufacturers to compete with foreign products as well, said APRA.
In March 2008, APRA assisted in the introduction of a
Recycling/Remanufacturing Tax Credit bill, H.R. 5659. The bill received
favorable attention but no action was taken on it. APRA is seeking
support for its reintroduction in the new Congress, citing that the
goals of the bill fit well in the environmental and economic goals of
the new administration.
For more information about APRA, visit www.apra.org.
