85% of scrapped cars to be recycled?

[Guest greenvanman]

I've just been to my local breakers yard to get a wiper motor for the Astra and there's a big notice saying that as of now all parts are exchange as they have to recycle 85% of each car by weight. This, they claim, is down to some EU directive or other. If you don't have the old part (or other scrap) to exchange there'll be an extra charge. Anyone else encountered this, or is this just a cunning way for them to get some free scrap or a few extra quid off the punters?

[mk2_craig]

Although not the expert I thought that only applied to vehicles falling under the End of Life legislation i.e. those built within the last few years (since 2003 or so?) and shouldn't really concern older vehicles. In honesty it sounds like a load of wombat cack to me.

[Volksy]

EU Directive.. Directive 2000/53/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 September 2000 on end-of-life vehicles, Official Journal L 269 of 21.10.2000, See amending acts.from - http://europa.eu/scadplus/leg/en/lvb/l21225.htmThe storage and treatment of end-of-life vehicles is also subject to strict control, in accordance with the requirements of Directive 75/442/EEC replaced by Directive 2006/12/EC and of Annex I to the Directive. Establishments or undertakings carrying out treatment operations must strip end-of-life vehicles before treatment and recover all environmentally hazardous components. Priority must be given to the re-use and recycling of vehicle components (batteries, tyres and oil).At present, 75% of end-of-life vehicles are recycled (metal content). The aim of this Directive is to increase the rate of re-use and recovery to 85% in terms of average weight per vehicle/year by 2006, and to 95% by 2015, and to increase the rate of re-use and recycling over the same period to at least 80% and 85% respectively in terms of average weight per vehicle/year. Less stringent objectives may be set for vehicles produced before 1980.Member States must ensure that producers use material coding standards which allow identification of the various materials during dismantling. The Commission must establish European standards on material coding and identification.

I thought that selling parts on constituted re-cycling..

[CortinaDave]

My two biggest local yards wont sell parts any more. So annoying as I went down looking for some bits for my probe knowing they had an identical one in and they wouldnt let me touch it.

[Waderider]

If this is what it's come to were doomed. I've been environmentally friendly for years by keeping bangers on the road with scrap yard parts. I've currently got a bust rear light on my motor, and if any of the local scrappys fob me off with any of this crap I won't blame them, but I will park my motor in the front of the local MP's constituency office.The world has gone mad, all that matters is money and profit.Bring on the revolution

[Richard]

My two biggest local yards wont sell parts any more. So annoying as I went down looking for some bits for my probe knowing they had an identical one in and they wouldnt let me touch it.

Is that Noble and Gray? Do Noble not even sell parts from their Smeaton yard now?

[Guest greenvanman]

I thought that selling parts on constituted re-cycling..

Exactly. I mean, if taking bits off a dead car to keep another one working isn't recycling what is? Very puzzling.

[Richard]

Selling parts on is reusing. I think the slogan goes "reduce, reuse, recycle", which is the order we should be thinking in if we really do care about the environment. Recycling should be a last resort.You only need to go to the local tip to see what a wasteful society we've become. You could fully equip a family home from scratch, including clothes, books, toys and electricals by collecting stuff from a council tip for a few weeks. I don't know which is more obscene- that we throw out so much useful stuff or that it's illegal to take anything away. Up until about 15 years ago it wasn't like that.All that stuff at the tip or on scrap cars could be pressed into service with virtually no "carbon footprint", to use the current buzz word. As soon as waste enters any kind of process the carbon footprint shoots up, sometimes recycling even uses more energy than making from scratch.As Waderider said, it's all about money and profit.

[mnde]

I also half-heard something on the news about a mooted car scrapping scheme for so-called "gas guzzlers" ... oh yes, look at this bunch of bollocks:Motorists could be paid £1,000 to scrap gas guzzlers By Robert Winnett, Deputy Political Editor Last Updated: 4:01pm BST 04/08/2008Motorists may be paid up to £1,000 to scrap older, more polluting vehicles under plans being considered by the Treasury. Ministers believe that the scheme may be useful in helping reduce global warming by subsidising drivers who switch to greener vehicles. The Treasury is considering the incentive payments and is studying a similar scheme introduced in France earlier this yearThey are studying schemes launched in other countries which either pay motorists cash for scrapping gas guzzlers or offer them generous discounts for more fuel efficient vehicles.Some countries also offer free or subsidised public transport to those surrendering older vehicles, which tend to be far less fuel efficient than newer models. The Government is currently facing a backlash over plans to sharply increase vehicle excise duty for people owning cars bought between 2001 and 2006. More than one million people will see their road tax double and offering people money to switch vehicles may help to quell growing anger among motorists. The Telegraph has been running a campaign called Fair deal for car drivers as the credit crisis and plans for green taxes have seen motorists face huge increases in the cost of motoring. Now the Treasury is studying a scheme introduced in France earlier this year. Angela Eagle, a Treasury minister said: "It is certainly something that we would not be averse to looking at. "The French have introduced a scheme. It is quite new at the moment and we are obviously watching it quite carefully."A Treasury aide added that although no policies were yet "on the table" the scheme was being "looked at closely". The car scrapping scheme has been backed by a committee of MPs who have studied the impact of the proposed changes to vehicle excise duty. The Environmental Audit committee criticised the proposed road tax changes but recommended that the Treasury "urgently examines the proposal for a 'car scrappage scheme'". However, it added: "In any scheme that were implemented, it would be important to ensure that high emission vehicles were genuinely scrapped - with as much of their materials recycled as possible - rather than allowed to stay on the road under different ownership, for instance in another country." Tony Bosworth of Friends of the Earth said: "We’re delighted that the Committee have urged the Treasury to consider our suggestion of a car scrappage scheme. "Three times more second hand cars are bought each year than new ones - so upping VED on old polluting vehicles will encourage people to choose greener models, cut fuel bills and lower carbon dioxide emissions. "Paying people to scrap their old gas-guzzler and replace it with a cleaner car will make this cheaper and easier to do."In Texas, motorists can receive vouchers worth more than £1,750 towards a hybrid car if abandoning a polluting vehicle. From next year, Canadians will get £150 or subsidised bicycles or public transport. Similar schemes are also being trialled in Italy and New Zealand.http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/mai ... ers104.xml :evil:Mark.

[AnthonyG]

Your yard is talking complete bollocks. Reuse counts as recycling. They are just trying to get metal for metal when selling engines, gearboxes, steering racks etc.Try offering £10 for an ashtray or something similar - they will soon change their tune!

[FredTransit]

I think they are taking the piss too. That having said, if it is true, we will all have to hunt about for cars and vans to break, not scrap. If WE keep the parts re circulating we will keep our cans and vans going. If we only do one or two cars a year, it's not a business, we get the parts, and a little compensation for our troubles.

[AXrescuer]

I just called my local breaker and he said if that is true, he's bolloxed! He did go on to that say he'd not heard of such legislation as yet but it wouldn't surprise him given the government's determination to have us all driving eco vehicles less thana year old!

[Station]

Scrapyard trying to pull a fast one. There's always one every few.

[FredTransit]

I really enjoy all the government/eu directives, policies (mainly because I'm a pedantic cynic) and have great fun manipulating them at work. Therefore if 85% of scrapped vehicles are to be recycled that means 15% must be left to rot in the corner?

No that's the oil and other fluids you tip down the drain......