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Approximately 2 million vehicles are
scrapped in the UK each year either
because of old age or due to accident.
The EC ELV
Directive aims to reduce the amount of
waste from vehicles (cars and vans) when
they are finally scrapped. In
particular, it includes tightened
environmental standards for vehicle
treatment sites, requires that last
owners must be able to dispose of their
vehicles free of charge from 2007 (and
requires producers to pay all or a
significant part of the free take-back
from this date), sets rising reuse,
recycling and recovery targets and
restricts the use of hazardous
substances in both new vehicles and
replacement vehicle parts.
The composition of a
typical car has changed substantially in recent years. For example,
ferrous metal content has decreased significantly as lighter, more
fuel-efficient materials such as plastics are incorporated into vehicle
design.
Recycling of different
materials usually including metals, plastics, fluids, catalytic
converters, batteries, airbags, glass and tyres make up approximately 80%
automotive materials are recycled, with the remainder going to landfill.
As more and more vehicle are built with ELV in mind, the amount of
material being recycled is maximised, so that the environmental impact
is reduced.
Related
Links
www.recycleyourcar.co.uk
www.dti.gov.uk/innovation/sustainability/elv
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