Page 68 from: May 2015

68 May 2015

The recycling of end-of-life vehicles in Europe has taken great steps forward in recent years.
However, there are still a number of challenges

that need to be faced going into the future. These

include in particular the illegal treatment and

exporting of end-of-life vehicles, stated Artemis

Hatzi-Hull, who is responsible for waste man-

agement at the European Commission’s Direc-

torate-General for the Environment.

She also named a number of further measures

that could be implemented to improve the

recycling of end-of-life vehicles, including

standardising the reporting system and pro-

viding vehicle-dismantling companies with

more information on the recyclability of var-

ious materials. In addition, the EU Commis-

sion is considering the introduction of addi-

tional measures to further improve the

recycling of end-of-life automobiles.

Among other points, Artemis Hatzi-Hull men-

tioned the alignment of the reporting system

and the methods of calculation used by the var-

ious EU member states. The aim is to increase

the informative value and reliability of the sta-

tistics, with a view to making the collected data

easier to compare. Further consideration is also

being given to providing dismantling companies

with better information on recyclable materials

and adapting vehicle recycling processes to keep

pace with continual developments in automotive

technologies.

As Artemis Hatzi-Hull emphasised, the overall

assessment of the European End-of-Life Vehi-

cles Directive, which came into force in the year

2000, was positive. The Directive has been

implemented in all of the EU member states

and has produced positive results, both ecolog-

ically and economically. In the meantime, toxic

materials in vehicles have been practically elim-

inated. The member states have also made good

progress in meeting the required recycling rates.

Effective directive
On 2 June 2014, the European Commission

adopted the communication ‘Towards a circu-

lar economy: a zero waste programme for

Europe’ to establish a common and coherent

EU framework to promote the circular econo-

my. In this context, the EU Commission came

with an ex-post evaluation of the end-of-life

vehicle directive (ELV Directive), addressing

progress and remaining challenges in the

implementation, environmental and econom-

ic benefits, identifying burdens, gaps, overlaps

and obsolete measures, and adequacy with

current trends in EU policies.

‘The ELV Directive has been very effective,’ Hat-

zi-Hull said. We have made good progress

towards achieving the objectives and targets espe-

cially in preventing waste from vehicles, including

reduction of hazardous substances. In addition,

re-use, recovery and recycling targets have been

increased and as a result of the Directive, ELVs

are treated in environmentally sound conditions.’

However, two major challenges remain: the col-

lection and treatment of ELVs by illegal opera-

tors and the illegal shipment of ELVs, Hat-

zi-Hull acknowledged. But she praised the

efficiency of the directive. ‘the Environmental

and economic benefits outweigh the costs asso-

ciated with the implementation of the ELV

Directive and treatment costs are compensated

by the high value of the materials. However, new

cost-efficient technology needs to be developed.’

According to Hatzi Hull, the ELV Directive

remains up-to-date with current needs. There

is a continuous need for government interven-

tion to prevent illegal exports and shipment of

ELVs. ‘The ELV Directive fits perfectly in the

A U T O M O T I V E By Manfred Beck

Europe’s automobile recycling industry is confident of being able to
meet the new requirements of the EU End-of-Life Vehicle Directive.
Although the recycling rate of 95 per cent in force since the beginning
of 2015 is challenging, with the right processes and sufficient political
will, it is achievable as many speakers said at the International Automobile
Recycling Congress (IARC), which was held in Berlin in late March. The
European Commission also shares this view. The illegal treatment and
the exporting of end-of-life vehicles are the two most challenging
problems facing the automobile recycling sector in Europe.

The European ELV Directive

More, the same
or change?

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