The agreement, which will be within a specific timeframe, is expected to be officially unveiled next week. It forms part of Volkswagen’s ongoing research work into options for delivering its responsibilities under the ELV directive.
But, the scheme lies outside the central thrust of the Option 4 approach supported by the Society of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers and Traders and endorsed by manufacturers such as Ford. The SMMT primarily wants shredder operators to take back for free ELVs which have a negative value although Option 4 does include a provision for manufacturers to make
their own arrangements for dealing with ELVs. Under its agreement with Trent, VWG will pay towards the cost of depolluting the vehicles to Annex One standards. No details of the sums payable have emerged although they are expected to be in the range of 40-80.
Chas Ambrose of Charles Trent confirmed that an agreement had been reached with VWG. “The aim is to get a grip of what is entailed in ELV recycling and what it costs.”
He explained that the company expected the free take-back to draw in older cars from the Dorset area “which are usually those which have rusted through or the engine has blown”. Newer vehicles, such as insurance write-offs, will still be handled through traditional routes.
Mr Ambrose declined to disclose the fee the company, which has a major depollution and vehicle dismantling plant in Poole, Dorset, would receive for its work but emphasised that it would be at a “commercial rate and is not a loss leader”.
The end-of-life VWG cars will go through a full depollution process. This will include removal of all fluids, glass, bumpers, engines and gearboxes. Metal hulks will be delivered to a shredder plant.
It is not clear how many cars will be taken to the plant although it is thought that there will be between 300-2,000. One aspect of the project that will be watched is to see from how far away cars are delivered – while it is not intended to attract cars from higher population areas such as Hampshire, this could happen. Dorset residents will be informed of the project thorugh an awareness campaign over the next few months.
Peter Stokes of VWG said that the scheme continued work by the company which had also seen work carried out on a smaller scale last year to assess costs and systems for handling ELVs. “It is important to have facts and figures to enter into the ELV debate,” he added.
One motor industry observer said the project reflects VWG’s recycling ethos which it has developed in Germany.
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