The EU Council today adopted new rules for the recycling of end-of-life cars and for the production of future vehicles. According to the changes, recycled plastics from scrapped vehicles must be used in newly manufactured cars from now on, and car manufacturers must offer the possibility of taking back old cars free of charge, BTA writes
When designing new cars, manufacturers must take into account the need for the materials used to be recyclable and reusable. Six years after the changes come into force, at least 15 percent of the plastic used to produce new vehicles must be recycled, with the ultimate goal of reaching 25 percent after another 4 years. At least 20 percent of this recycled plastic must come from end-of-life vehicles.
Manufacturers will be financially and organisationally responsible for the entire life cycle of their vehicles, including when they become waste, the EU Council said in a statement. This extended producer responsibility includes the free take-back and processing of all end-of-life vehicles, the text added.
The new legislation provides for improved tracking and control measures for so-called "missing vehicles" - dismantled for parts or illegally exported from the EU. Once a vehicle meets the requirements for end-of-life (waste), it must be handed over to an authorised recycling company and cannot be legally exported or resold for further use, the changes say. The export of used vehicles that are unfit for driving from the EU is prohibited, as this is linked to efforts to protect the environment outside the EU and to retain valuable materials.
The legislative changes will apply fully to passenger cars and vans, while the requirements for heavy goods vehicles, motorcycles and special-purpose vehicles will be more limited, the announcement explains. The amended legislation will start to apply two years after its entry into force.
Every year, over 6 million end-of-life vehicles accumulate in the EU, and the lack of appropriate measures leads to pollution and the loss of tonnes of materials. The car industry is among the largest consumers of raw materials, but does not use enough recycled materials. The existing rules lead to the recycling of around 85 percent of the materials in cars, the Council of the EU explains.