One of the hallmarks of really remote places where few people live is often — sadly — that old vehicles are dumped at the side of properties or on wasteland, rather than being properly scrapped.
Not only are they an eyesore, but they’re also an environmental and safety hazard as they degrade. They are also increasingly illegal. The End of Life Vehicles Directive requires cars and vans up to 3.5 tonnes to be disposed of in an envrionmentally responsible way.
Car and van manufacturers generally provide this service free of charge, and it’s surprising how much of a car is recycled. According to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), manufacturers are now required to recycle and recover 95% of old vehicles.
Vehicle manufacturing plants are also under pressure to cut waste and resource usage. Less than 2% of manufacturing waste went to landfill in 2014. This represents a 90% reduction since 2000. Over the same period, energy and water usage have also fallen, by 48.1% and 43.6% respectively.
However, what if there is no manufacturer? What if you drive a Rover or Saab car, or an LDV van (in which case you’re already unlucky…)? Apparently, vehicles made by defunct manufacturers are known as orphan vehicles.
Owners of orphan vehicles can still ensure they are recycled by taking them to recycling centres, formerly known as breaker’s yards. The trouble is that if you live in rural areas, these may be some distance away. Quite often this isn’t practical — even if you’re willing to drive to your nearest recycler, you may not be able to get back home, for example.
According to the SMMT, there are an estimated 700,000 orphan vehicles on UK roads. All of these will eventually need to be recycled. To improve recycling rates and ensure the industry as a whole meets its environmental obligations, the SMMT has partnered with recycling company Autogreen to recycle all unclaimed vehicles at no cost to their owner or the general public.
If you have a vehicle which needs recycling, you can find more information here.