Metals experts advise caution on ELV proposals

The concern was voiced at last week's Recycling and Waste Management exhibition during a seminar on ELVs.

Rick Wilcox, of the British Metals Recycling Association, said that while a lot of issues need to be sorted before the directive comes into force manufacturers should start planning straight away. And he recommended that metals recyclers and dismantlers delay spending decisions until the funding issues and mechanism for payment is clarified.

Mr Wilcox urged industry to look at its current ELV throughput and make “a decision about where we are now and where we have to get to to comply with the directive”.

He added: “We are working closely with government but there is a lot to do and a lot of issues need answers.”

Duncan Wemyss, secretary of the Motor Vehicle Dismantlers Association, also expressed concern over the lack of time to implement the directive. He said: “What we have is an existing infrastructure that works but it works in an ad hoc way. At the moment neither the government or the Agency have told industry what the requirements will be and so how can firms produce a business plan? We don't physically know how it's going to work with only seven months to go.”

And he also warned industry not to take things to a level that is not necessary saying: “We are already doing things in the industry. At the moment we are still in the discussion phase and it does take a long time to sort things out, but the sooner we do the better.”

Substantial

Mr Wemyss also highlighted the “substantial costs of treating ELVs”. He noted there had been estimates for this under the directive of 40-50 per vehicle, but commented that 40 would be nowhere near enough to meet the costs.

One issue that needs to be addressed is vehicle abandonment. Mr Wemyss said: “We need financial incentives/rewards to get vehicles into the system rather than them being left by the roadside.”

Also speaking at the seminar was Peter Davis, director of the British Plastics Federation, which has traditionally been in favour of burning an element of plastic waste. Mr Davis said: “We are worried about the lack of time to deal with the implementation. The British Plastics Federation has not yet reached a view on the ELV directive but we think that there is an over emphasis on mechanical recycling and an ignoring of other options.”

Mr Davis said that more guidance and information was needed and said the directive posed a “challenge to industry” and said: “There are precious few markets for recycled materials and there have to be markets if targets are going to be met.”