Under expected new end-of-life vehicles regulations, motor manufacturers will be given the responsibility to set up networks of ATFs so that vehicles' last owners can, at no cost, take them to be recycled.
The Directive means that producers are to be financially responsible for achieving recycling rates of 85% by weight of ELVs from 2006 and 95% from 2015. The Directive has also brought in environmental standards for the de-pollution of each vehicle, for which a recycler must meet to be an authorised treatment facility (ATF). There are currently 489 ATFs on the Environment Agency public register.
Ford has said it will not be contracting directly with ATFs themselves, but will contract with a network provider to organise the network. The network provider would ensure there are sufficient compliant ATFs to provide adequate coverage across the UK, would make sure recycling targets are met and would report ATF performances.
There were about 8.5 million Ford vehicles on the road in 2003. Ford has said its ATF network would mean 75% of last owners being within 10 miles of a take back station, while the maximum distance for a last owner to travel would be 30 miles.
Charge
Some sources in the recycling sector have told letsrecycle.com they believe Ford's network provider could be planning to charge ATFs a fee – some have said about 4 per vehicle, one expert said 4.86 per vehicle – to be part of Ford's official network.
Such a charge would effectively pay for the organisation of Ford's network, while for the ATFs that pay the charge, it would mean last owners would bring Ford vehicles to their sites for recycling – bringing with them the income from the materials in the ELVs.
But Mike Rivers, Ford's environment manager, denied the 4 charge. He said: “I don't recognise that figure. I don't know where people have got that from – I'm the one who is organising Ford's ATF network, and I am not aware of anyone being charged that to be on our network.”
Favourite
One vehicle recycling expert told letsrecycle.com that one of the favourites for the contract to provide Ford's ATF network is the Chesterfield-based company Cartakeback.com, which was formed by UK Shredders Ltd to help its members gain national supply contracts.
But Mr Rivers said that he could not comment on Ford's compliance network or the details of how Ford's STF network was to be set up as contract negotiations were confidential. He said that no arrangements had yet been made, and that no arrangements could be finalised until the government finalises new regulations implementing the second half of the ELV Directive.
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