ELV Recycling Compliance

The ELV regulations which came into force in 2005 set strict recycling targets for all vehicles which reach the end of their life from the 1st January 2006. The recycling target for vehicles which were first registered before 1980 is set at 75% and the recycling target for vehicles which were first registered after 1980 is set at 85% per vehicle by weight.

Until recently just 75% of a vehicle had been recycled which was largely due to the metallic content of a vehicle having a value, although with the introduction of the de-pollution process in which all hazardous materials such as fluids, tyres and batteries are removed, Authorised Treatment Facilities have been able to increase on this level. Nevertheless, even when taking the de-pollution process into account, Authorised Treatment Facilities are not able to meet the 85% target without the further recycling of non-metallic materials.

Following the de-pollution process, the metallic content of each vehicle is recovered by specialist metal recovery operations, otherwise known as ‘shredders’, which rip the shells, complete with engines, into fist size fragments of metal. Historically the remainder of the materials, largely non-metallic items such as window glass and plastic from interior trim and bumpers, have been disposed of in landfill sites; however we are now able to recycle this material using post shredder technologies.

Cartakeback goes to great lengths to ensure that sufficient non-metallic material has been recycled using post shredder technologies, so that vehicles which are either collected through the Cartakeback Collect scheme or delivered directly to a Cartakeback Authorised Treatment Facility, are recycled in accordance with the EU recycling targets.

When you have the need to dispose of an end of life vehicle, we urge you to consider the environmental consequence of your actions and to select an Authorised Treatment Facility which is part of a system that enables compliance to the EU recycling targets.