UK Agency Reminds Consumers about ELV Program

The Environment Agency Wales is warning the public that all cars, commercial vehicles and motorcycles at the end of their lives will have to be dealt with at fully licensed ‘End of Life’ sites approved by the Agency.

The End-of-Life Vehicles Regulations came into effect Nov. 3, 2003, but operators were given a twelve-month 'hands-off' period for improving site infrastructure. The Agency in North Wales has now set a final deadline for operators to implement the Regulations by the end of next month.

New European regulations take into account hazardous items as scrap batteries, tires, catalyst exhausts, mercury switches and all the harmful fluids that are contained within a motor vehicle. Agency officers in North Wales will be cracking down on all sites that are still operating illegally and those sites will be served with a Notice to remove all vehicles that have not been depolluted.

Operators that do not fully comply with the minimum standard as required will also face formal enforcement action and be served with a Notice to comply, or cease removing hazardous components from End-of-Life Vehicles.

Lynda Bigland, an Environment Agency Regulatory Officer (Waste) said: "Most vehicle dismantlers have known for over a year now that the Regulations would be fully enforced. So far, only a handful of operators in North Wales have reached the required standard. This creates disparity between sites, as some operators have embraced the changes wholeheartedly and have invested heavily to ensure environmental protection."