Vehicle recyclers demand Agency fairness in regulation

Now that legitimate vehicle recyclers have collectively invested millions in upgrading sites to meet European environmental standards, the Association is urging the Environment Agency to crack down on those that do not meet the standards.

” It may be intimidating to go into some of these sites but they are the legal enforcers of these regulations. “
– Duncan Wemyss
The industry is expecting an increased Agency presence shortly, scrutinising environmental standards involved in de-polluting vehicles. The Agency is thought to be becoming particularly interested in ensuring shock absorbers and air bags are dealt with to its satisfaction.

Difficulties are being faced because there are few systems commercially available that can deal with dangerous items like air bags.

The MVDA is concerned that the Agency's enforcement activities will mainly concentrate on regulating those already doing their best to comply with the regulations – instead of challenging the more difficult scrapyards, which may have no intention to operate to any legal standards.

Focus
Association secretary Duncan Wemyss said: “Now that the standards are in place, what we want from the Agency is fairness.

“There are over a thousand companies in England and Wales that have now satisfied the Agency. But just because the law says they are there to regulate those that need regulating, there's no need to focus only on the sites already seeking to meet the standards,” he insisted.

Commenting on vehicle recycling businesses that are continuing to operate outside of the European environmental standards, Mr Wemyss said of Agency inspectors: “It may be intimidating to go into some of these sites but they are the legal enforcers of these regulations.”

Insurance
The MVDA has recently launched an insurance scheme to help vehicle dismantlers “who do it properly”. Working with insurance brokers Ingram Hawkins and Nock, the scheme aims to give vehicle dismantlers and salvage companies savings on other insurance schemes.

The scheme is something Mr Wemyss said showed that the vehicle recycling industry was moving into a new era. He said: “Insurers are now looking at our industry in a way they haven't previously, because there are proper standards being met.”