A Long Hill Township auto repair shop
(Long Hill
Auto) and the AAA Car Care Center in Springfield were among the
first service centers
in New Jersey certified as green business in a new program launched by leaders in the state's
automotive industry. As of today
there are only 7 certified Auto repair facilities in the state of New
Jersey.
Assemblyman Jon
Bramnick, a member of the consumer affairs committee, was invited to speak as the program
was unveiled during Earth Week. He congratulated the repair shops for their
environmentally-friendly operations. 'On
behalf of the state Legislature, I want to thank all of
you for what you've done to make New Jersey a
cleaner place,'
Assemblyman Bramnick
said.
The two shops are located in District 21, represented by the
assemblyman. Five other facilities were also
certified for having passed the program's
rigorous 88-point checklist.
The New Jersey Green Automotive Repair Program was created through a
partnership among AAA New Jersey,
the New Jersey Coalition of Automotive Retailers (NJCAR) and the New Jersey
Gasoline C-Store Automotive Association (NJGCA).
'Recognizing the impact the automotive
industry has on the environment, AAA
brought New Jersey's
automotive leaders together to develop the New Jersey
Green Automotive
repair Program,' said Frederick L. Gruel,
president and CEO of
AAA New Jersey.
The industry leaders
also worked in collaboration with the state Department of Environmental
Protection. But the inspectors determining whether a shop meets the
standards for certification are from the private sector.
Assemblyman Bramnick said it's smart to have the private sector make
the
certification. 'That's
what we strive for in government, to have government
get out of the way. Government should only regulate when the private
sector fails,' the lawmaker said.
The new certifications will be displayed in the shop windows so
customers
know the business passed a comprehensive checklist that examined
everything
from type of solvents used in the shop to the way batteries are
recycled
to how the floor drains are sealed.
Robert Arlotta, long
time resident of Montville, owner of the Long
Hill
Service Center, said his shops are always been environmentally
sensitive,
especially with recycling. 'This is taking it
to the next step to be certified,' he said.
'Good environmental policy translates into
good business practices,' said
Sal Risalvato, executive director of the NJGCA.
'When
a repair shop
conserves water and energy, they save money and contribute to the
overall good of
the environment.'
For
more information on the green repair program go to
www.njgreenautorepair.com_ (http://www.njgreenautorepair.com/)
.
