Government poised to release first stage of ELV regulations

The new regulations, which are the first stage of a series of measures implementing the Directive in the UK, will be laid before Parliament when it restarts later this month.

They will detail permitting arrangements for recyclers as well as confirming a Certificate of Destruction-based system. The certificate will be used as a form of evidence for compliance under the directive, which is likely to see an electronic link between Authorised Treatment Facilities and the Drivers' and Vehicles Licensing Agency.

The new regulations will also restrict manufacturers on the use of hazardous heavy metals in the design of new vehicles and require vehicle producers to set up free take-back arrangements for negative-value vehicles put on the market after July 2002.

Paul Everitt, head of policy and economics at the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders said that for manufacturers, the first stage of the regulations would not be quite as important as the next stage, which is likely to go out to consultation in November 2003. The next stage will deal with producer responsibility for all vehicles after 2006.

Mr Everitt said: “Since few of vehicles put on the market after 2002 will have a negative value at the end of their lives, the more important part of the regulations will be those that concern all ELVs, after 2006, which will form part of the next consultation expected in November.”

Although there are still uncertainties involving the details of the regulations, Mr Everitt said that manufacturers were fairly well prepared for the forthcoming regulations. However, he said that other stakeholders still had issues to resolve, and that a dialogue had to be opened between the manufacturers and dismantlers.

Mr Everitt will be one of the speakers at a letsrecycle.com conference on November 20, 2003, which will look at the impact of the first stage of the regulations as well as at the government's proposals for the rest of the UK's ELV regulations.

He said: “As far as we are concerned, the system is broadly set, the manufacturers are fairly comfortable with how the regulations will work, but it will be important that everyone is clear on what needs to happen, and will be important to get the other players talking to manufacturers.

Uncertainty

Duncan Wemyss, secretary of the Motor Vehicle Dismantlers Association, said the regulations had been “long-awaited. The waiting has created considerable uncertainty and posed difficulties to dismantlers wanting to make investment decision. They now have some hard decision to make and they will be asking whether they can make a sustainable business from dismantling.”

Mr Wemyss pointed out that from 2004 until 2007 dismantlers will generally have to try and make a profit with only two income sources – the last owner of the vehicle and from the metal values of the car. This is because the motor manufacturers will not need to pay towards the recycling of older vehicles during this period.