UK Agencies Approve New ASR Processing Procedures

The British Metals Recycling Association (BMRA) is applauding a decision made by the U.K.’s Environment Agency and Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) that allows for auto shredder residue (ASR) generated by auto shredders in the country to be recovered and converted into energy rather than being landfilled.

In a statement, the BMRA says that the decision could mean most of the 800,000 metric tons of the ASR landfilled each year can be used to produce plastics and generate electricity. Additionally the BMRA says that the decision could help the U.K. meet EU recycling and recovery targets.

In a release, Ian Hetherington, director general of BMRA, says, “This is a long-awaited decision that represents the best outlet for the material which until now could only be landfilled. The U.K. metal recycling industry has been waiting for a positive decision in order for them to determine how best to drive up recycling rates for end-of-life vehicles (ELV) while generating growth for the sector and the country.”

“For more than two years, BMRA and key players in the industry have been calling for government to be decisive in providing a policy framework in which the U.K. metals recycling industry can take a lead in the advanced recovery of end-of-life consumer goods in Europe,” Hetherington adds. “Now, with the right policy framework in place, the metals recycling industry will endeavor to retain a lead in developing materials recycling and recovery, whilst creating green jobs and growth in the sector.”

The association notes that while at the present time more than 85 percent of the vehicles is recycled, this decision allows energy recovery via the thermal processing of this material, rather than disposing of it to landfill. The result is giving association members the ability to make the investments needed to increase the EU recovery targets, which are slated to reach 95 percent in 2015.