According to comments by European Metal Recycling, new rules imposing stringent standards on vehicle recyclers and making the last owner responsible for costs could make Britain's abandoned car problem much worse.
European rules on the disposal of defunct vehicles, expected to be enforced in the United Kingdom this year, will require dismantlers and recyclers to invest in equipment to drain fluids, remove specified parts and ensure the last owner receives a certificate of destruction.
In a recently released statement, the UK’s Department of Trade and Industry predicted a 50 percent decline in the number of facilities continuing to take vehicles and properly equipped to meet the new standards - from 4,000 to 1,750 outlets - suggesting the last owner may have to travel further to dispose of a car.
The Department also indicated that consumers needing to dispose of old cars over the next three years may be expected to pay up to 30 Pounds (around US$55) to meet the new standards.
Graeme Carus, director of business development at European Metal Recycling, pointed to the findings of a recent survey sponsored by EMR, in which 24 percent of respondents from lower income households - the segment of the population most likely to own defunct vehicles - indicated that they were not prepared to pay the costs of disposal.
The research also highlighted concern among the British public that the new laws may lead to more abandoned vehicles. Given a conservative estimate that a 20 Pounds (US$37) charge may be levied, 74 percent of respondents thought more vehicles would be abandoned, with 40 percent predicting a major increase in the number of vehicles littering Britain's streets.
EMR operates a national network of 60 recycling facilities, handling more than 1.1 million vehicles a year.