Free take-back for ELVs from 1 January 2007

In an announcement targeted at national media, the DTI explained that car manufacturers “have established new national networks of existing facilities that will accept their own brands, when those vehicles reach the end of their lives.”

The Department said that “the UK currently scraps around two million cars and vans each year and these new producer responsibility regulations are good news for both the environment and car owners, who will no longer need to pay to dispose of their vehicles.”

Science and innovation minister, Malcolm Wicks said: “As 2007 gets underway, it is the perfect time to look at ways we can all do our bit to help the environment. There is already an 85% target in place to recover scrap cars and the free take back will help us achieve it.

Network

“With such an extensive network of facilities in place to receive scrap cars, there is now an increased incentive for cars to be treated responsibly. This is an absolutely positive development for the environment and car owners.”

Manufacturers of the majority of vehicles on the UK’s roads have made network arrangements with one of two service providers, Autogreen and Cartakeback.

Autogreen, based in Daventry, has agreements with: BMW, Daihatsu, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Daewoo, Dodge, Ferrari, Honda, Isuzu, Jeep, Maserati, Maybach, Mercedes-Benz, MINI, Mitsubishi Canter, Porsche, Saab, SMART, Subaru, Suzuki, Toyota/Lexus and Vauxhall.

Cartakeback, based in Liverpool, has agreements with:
Alfa Romeo, Alpine, Aston Martin, Audi, Austin, Bentley, Bugatti, Citroen, Dacia, DAF, Datsun, Dodge, Fiat, Ford, Hillman, Humber, Hyundai, Iveco, Jaguar, Lamborghini, Lancia, Land Rover, LDV, Leyland, Leyland DAF, Lotus, Matra, Mazda, MG, MG X-Power, Mitsubishi, Morris, Nissan, Perodua, Peugeot, Proton, Renault, Renault Trucks, Riley, Rover, Seat, Simca, Singer, Skoda, Sunbeam, Talbot, Tata, Tatra, Triumph, Volkswagen, Volkswagen Commercial, Volvo and Wolseley.

Confident

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders has said that it “strongly supports” the UK's approach to implementation of the End of Life Vehicles Directive.

SMMT chief Executive, Christopher Macgowan said: “The motor industry has worked hard with the government and other parties to get these free take-back requirements into place. We are confident that we are now in a position to offer an excellent service for final owners of vehicles when they wish to dispose of them. This is a further example of the industry taking professional responsibility for reducing the environmental impact of our products.”

Certificates – CODs

Crucial to the success of the ELV system will be the Certificate of Destruction which will be issued to owners when facilities receive a vehicle for treatment. This certificate will show that the vehicle will be treated appropriately, and will enable deregistration of the vehicle from the DVLA database. However, there is already concern within DTI that the number of certificates issues in 2006 by some authorised treatment facilities is too low.

Under the regulations, owners who take their vehicle to the designated facilities can be assured of free take-back at a minimum provided the vehicle is largely complete, including engine/gearbox, bodywork, wheels and catalytic converter (where fitted from new) and additional waste has not been added.

Depending on scrap metal prices, last owners may be offered a fee on delivery of their vehicle. However, this is not an entitlement under the regulations, the DTI said, and is subject to individual negotiation with the accepting treatment facility. If a vehicle is more than 30 miles from the nearest facility in the manufacturer’s network, it will be eligible for collection free of charge.

Target

The target for the UK is to recover (that is, to re-use, recycle or recover energy from) 85% of the weight of ELVs scrapped during 2006 (75% for pre-1980 vehicles and burn-outs). The 85% figure must be met by:

• producers (vehicle manufacturers or professional importers) for their own vehicles, if they are taken in by ATFs forming part of those producers’ contracted ATF networks, and

• ATFs that take in vehicles for which they do not have a contractual arrangement with a producer.

Average weight

In 2005 a shredder trial established that the average weight of an ELV is 971 kilograms. The DTI then decided to use that average weight for all ELVs “for the time being”, rather than to attempt to introduce a vehicle-specific weight system.

The DTI explained in a recent letter to ATFs that “The trial also established that 76% of that average weight, comprising the metal fraction and residual fuel, could be assumed to be recovered automatically. The balance of the target, for which you will need to obtain evidence of recovery, is therefore 9% (around 87 kgs per ELV, from the non-metallic fraction).”

The letter added: “Producers and ATFs with recovery obligations are currently required under the Regulations to send to DTI, before 1 April 2007, a Certificate of Compliance, confirming achievement of their target for 2006, and reporting the recovery rate achieved.”