This article was produced on behalf of Giveacar – a fundraising organization that donates money made from scrap cars to charitable causes throughout the world.
More than half of the vehicles taken off the road each year are being illegally scrapped or dumped. These practices could be causing significant damage to the environment and endangering public health, not to mention the cost to legal operators. Environmental authorities in the UK have begun to clamp down on this worrying trend, but it remains to be seen whether they have sufficient power and resources to be able to bring tit to an end.
When scrapping a car it is important you know about the legislation regarding car disposal and ensure that you only give your car to someone who will deal with it in a legal manner.
Every vehicle contains components that are potentially hazardous and can cause damage to the environment. According to the European Union’s End of Life Vehicle (ELV) Directive, these materials must be removed from the car as part of the scrappage process and contained in a manner that negates their potentially negative effects on the environment and public health.
Potentially harmful components include:
- The air bags and seat belt pre-tensioners, which are explosive;
- Fluids, such as the engine oil, coolant and fuel, which can leak in to surrounding watercourses;
- Heavy metals, including the mercury containing light switches;
- The battery, which has the potential to create an electric charge, igniting surrounding fuel;
- The tires, which are highly flammable and release toxic fumes when burnt.
With more than 1,000,000 cars each year being scrapped illegally the environmental ramifications could be catastrophic. Even without considering the solid components of the car, the amount of damage done by illegal scrappage could be equal to that of a small oil spill. The fluids removed as part of the depollution, including the remaining petrol, can total as much as 22 liters per car, meaning millions of liters of hazardous liquids could be seeping in to our water supplies.
The Environment Agency regulates the scrappage of vehicles in the UK and aims to ensure that cars are depolluted in line with the EU’s ELV Directive. Scrap yards that wish to become Environment Agency authorized treatments centers must apply for a permit.
To be eligible for a permit a scrap yard must operate on a secure and impermeable site, make provision for the drainage, possess spillage kits and agree to remove all hazardous components. In addition, the Environment Agency requires that all vehicles are stored in a way that does not harm the environment, and that the parts are recycled, stored and disposed of appropriately.
Any scrap yard that does not recycle cars to these standards and does not possess an Environment Agency permit is conducting business illegally and posing a grave threat to the environment and public safety.
Recently the Environment Agency’s Environmental Crime Time has helped to bring about a spate of arrests and fines for those dismantling End of Life Vehicles illegally. Running an illegal car waste site could cost operators up to £50,000 and a six month prison sentence.
Their cause has been helped by a strengthening of the law regarding the scrappage process. Under the new legislation car owners are required by the DVLA to present a Certificate of Destruction from an Environment Agency licensed scrap yard. It is hoped that this will put many illegal scrap yards out of business.
The change came after several operators working legally within the industry complained about the massive loss of business resulting from weak enforcement of European legislation. One company, Bluecycle, a leading auction house for car salvage, highlighted the possible ‘Lazarus Effect’ created by poor enforcement whereby unsafe vehicles were being returned to UK roads by unscrupulous scrap dealers.
It is still too early to tell whether the legislation has made a significant difference to the number of illegally scrapped cars. However, the positive early indications are great news for the businesses operating within EU guidelines, as well as the UK’s environmental wellbeing.
