The recycling of end-of-life vehicles in Europe, while advancing technologically, also faces challenges, one of which is illegal treatment and exporting of end-of-life vehicles.
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| Artemis Hatzi-Hull of the European Commission |
The point was made by Artemis Hatzi-Hull, who works on waste management at the Directorate General for the Environment in the European Commission, at the press conference of the International Automobile Recycling Congress 2015 held in Berlin on 25-27 March, and organized by ICM AG.
Hatzi-Hull said the EU Commission is considering the introduction of additional measures to further improve the recycling of end-of-life automobiles. Among other reasons, Hatzi-Hull mentioned the alignment of the reporting system and the methods of calculation used by the various European Union member states. The aim of the measures is to increase the informative value and reliability of the statistics, 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.
Hatzi-Hull emphasized the overall assessment of the European End-of-Life Vehicles 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, he said, both ecologically and economically. In the meantime, toxic materials in vehicles have been practically eliminated. The member states also have made good progress in meeting the required recycling rates.
Speaking on behalf of the German recycling enterprise Scholz Group, Beate Kummer also criticised the situation of illegal exports.
“We still do not know what happens to around 1.4 million end-of-life vehicles from Germany each year," she said at the press conference. Kummer referred to evidence from Germany, Austria, Slovenia and Croatia indicating that end-of-life vehicles are being illegally disposed of, and pointed out that illegal exports discourage investment in recycling, because of lower input levels.
The Scholz Group operates a treatment plant for shredder residues from end-of-life vehicle recycling in Espenhain, Germany, near Leipzig and has invested some €60 million in end-of-life vehicle treatment technology since 1991. As a result, Kummer said, Scholz is one of the few companies reliably meeting the 95-percent recycling rate prescribed by the End-of-Life Vehicles Directive since the beginning of 2015. She said estimates put the number of end-of-life vehicles generated in Germany at around 1 to 1.5 million per year, but less than half of this number are actually being recycled within the country.
For this reason the European End-of-Life Vehicles Directive urgently needs reviewing, Kummer warned. The Scholz spokeswoman also said there is a necessity to better define the terms “end-of-life vehicle” and “used car.”
“In future, exporters should have to prove that the goods being exported are used cars and not end-of-life vehicles,” she said. Until now, Customs officers have had the burden of proof. Moreover, Scholz is calling for additional regulations to better record end-of-life cars within the EU.
Europe’s automobile industry also sees a need to act concerning the recycling of end-of-life cars. Erik Jonnaert, secretary general of the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA), emphasized that the Directive has proved its efficacy and advocated retaining the Directive unchanged, because he sees a greater need for improvement in other areas. Jonnaert said the requirement to have proof of recycling should be the rule, not the exception.
Furthermore, the ACEA is in favor of standardised implementation of the Directive throughout Europe. The important point is an even playing field for all proper plant operators. In addition, the ACEA wants further steps to be taken to promote post-shredder technology. Jonnaert said this treatment technique is the most suitable method of recycling end-of-life vehicles.
Regarding the ongoing revision processes of exemptions to the ELV directive in Annex II, Jonnaert also emphasised that the automotive industry has provided a significant contribution to heavy metals reductions.
“Any further reduction should be based on economic and technical progress,” Jonnaert concluded.
ICM AG is an international congress organiser based in Birrwil, Switzerland, specializing in the field of recycling. The organization hosts four congresses per year covering the recycling of electrical and electronic goods, end-of-life automobiles and batteries. The events are held alternately in various countries of Europe, North America and Asia.
