WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Environmental Protection Agency announced a new rule on Wednesday that it said will help the urgent removal of defective Takata airbags and ensure old ones from scrap vehicles don't get reused.
"Today's action will help auto dealers and scrap recyclers across the country protect public health and properly dispose of these defective airbags inflators," said EPA Acting Administrator Andrew Wheeler.
Takata and its U.S. unit, TK Holdings Inc, filed for bankruptcy last year after the largest automotive recall in history. The company's air bags can inflate with too much force and spray metal fragments, and have been linked to hundreds of injuries and at least 22 deaths.
(Reporting by Doina Chiacu; Editing by David Gregorio)
