The latest figures from Eurostat show the UK is ahead of its target for scrap car recycling and reuse, and within one percentage point of the EU target for recovery and reuse of materials from scrap cars.
EU member states are set two different targets for disposing of end-of-life vehicles:
• At least 85% of materials must be reused or recycled.
• At least 95% of materials must be reused or recovered.
The different definitions depend on how parts of the vehicle are used. For example, a vehicle may be dismantled and used for spare parts, or the raw materials it contains may be recycled.
On recycling and reuse, the UK is ahead of its target. Data published in July 2020 shows that in 2017, the most recent year in the report, UK scrap car recycling rates stood at 86.5%, higher than Spain or Italy.
When it comes to total materials reused and recovered from scrap vehicles, the UK is just short of its goal at 94.1%, but the long-term trend is upwards.
Scrap car recycling increasing across the EU
Across the EU, scrap car recycling and reuse has increased or stayed the same every year since 2009, while reuse and recovery has increased in every year except 2016, when it fell by just 0.1 percentage points.
The total weight of end-of-life vehicles has also increased to 5.7 million tonnes in 2017, its highest level since the vehicle scrappage schemes of 2009-10.
Figures show the UK scraps more cars than any other EU country, accounting for 1.57 million tonnes or 27.5% of the total.
This is a time of change for the UK car market, as environmental targets and carbon reduction initiatives – combined with stricter MOT rules on diesel engines – mean more vehicles are being scrapped in favour of hybrids and electric cars.
How to scrap a car in the UK
Whatever vehicle you drive, if it is reaching the end of its useful or economical life, it is important to scrap it correctly.
At J Davidson Scrap we are able to take care of the full process for you, starting with a quick quote for the scrap value of your car based on its make, model, engine size and a few other characteristics.
We are an Authorised Treatment Facility (ATF) and if your car is a non-runner, we can collect it from your home, workplace or roadside for free, as long as we can get safe and easy access to it.
As one of the north-west’s first licensed ATFs, we have a proven track record of disposing of scrap cars in line with the 2003 regulations for end-of-life vehicles.
We de-pollute all scrap vehicles, removing hazardous components like batteries, tyres and engine fluids.
Once we have done this, we recycle the metal, allowing it to be reused in new products to help the UK meet and exceed its environmental goals for scrap cars.
Finally, we take care of the paperwork – we issue you with an official DVLA Certificate of Destruction, your proof that the car is no longer your responsibility, which crucially means you can stop paying its road fund licence.
Together, all of this adds up to a one-stop service to scrap cars in the north-west, including locations across Warrington, Cheshire and Greater Manchester.
