Find out how the regulations affect the way we recycle scrap cars.
What are the End of Life Vehicle regulations?
The End of Life Vehicle regulations apply to scrap cars and vans that have a gross vehicle weight of up to 3,500kg. (End of life vehicle is another name for what's normally known as a scrap car, junk car, breaker or salvage vehicle).
The regulations were designed to reduce the impact that scrap cars have on the environment. They were introduced in two parts.
The first set of regulations came into effect in 2003 and require scrap cars to be depolluted before destruction. This involves the removal of fluids, tyres, battery and hazardous materials, before any of the remaining parts or materials can be reused or recycled. Depollution can only be carried out at Authorised Treatment Facilities (ATFs) holding the appropriate environmental permit. The 2003 regulations also required ATFs to issue last owners with a Certificate of Destruction, through which scrapped vehicles are deregistered.
The second set of regulations came into effect in 2005 and mean that both producers (vehicle manufacturers and professional importers) must establish national networks of ATFs to provide “free take-back” of their “own marque” ELVs. For the vehicles dealt with by these networks until 2015, producers had to achieve 85% reuse, recycling and recovery targets, as did ATFs not forming part of a producer’s network. From 2015 onwards, that target has become 95% by weight of the vehicles.
View and download a copy of the 2003 End Of Life Vehicle regulations from the Gov.uk website 
View and download a copy of the 2005 End Of Life Vehicle (Producer responsibility) regulations from the Gov.uk website
How does CarTakeBack meet the regulations?
When CarTakeBack branches recycle your car, they carefully remove all hazardous materials, such as the oils, batteries and tyres. The metal is then separated from the other materials at sophisticated metal recycling plants.
In the past, only the metal was recovered due to its value. Today, in order to meet the higher recycling rates set by the regulations, CarTakeBack separates the glass and plastic material for recycling, instead of it going to landfill.
In 2015 recycling targets got even tougher, meaning a whopping 95% of the car must be recycled. But CarTakeBack's further investment in recycling means that our recycling centres were ahead of the game, having reached this target in 2013.
What is an Authorised Treatment Facility environmental permit?
All businesses that handle scrap cars, which means car dismantlers, scrap yards, junk yards, salvage yards and breakers, have to obtain an Authorised Treatment Facility environmental permit from the Environment Agency in the country which they're based. That's the Environment Agency in England & Wales, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency or the Northern Ireland Environment Agency. It's the responsibility of the Environment Agencies to carry out regular visits to ensure compliance with the regulations.
All of CarTakeBack's branches hold a valid Authorised Treatment Facility environmental permit.
The standards required by the permit were set by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). They require businesses to invest substantially in buildings and equipment, concrete surfaces and sealed drainage systems. This is needed to stop toxic chemicals leaking into the ground where they could end up polluting the ground and water supplies.
Only sites holding an Authorised Treatment Facility environmental permit can register with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) which enables them to issue you with a DVLA Certificate of Destruction.
What responsibilities do the car makers have?
The End of Life Vehicle regulations make the car makers responsible for maintaining a scrap car recycling network which is within easy reach of people who own their brands.
The network must be able to treat cars legally and without harm to the environment as well as meet recycling targets. All of this must be at no cost to the car's last owner.
CarTakeBack has been the official scrap car recycling partner for car makers in the UK since 2005.
CarTakeBack makes it possible for every single owner of any of 27 different brands, to be within easy reach of a scrap car recycling centre, no matter where they live in the UK.
Not only does CarTakeBack guarantee not to charge customers as part of this service, but we go much further by finding the best price being offered by local recycling centres.
To find out how much your car is worth, simply tell us your registration and postcode.
Find out more about CarTakeBack being approved by the car makers
Does CarTakeBack have a Waste Broker’s Licence?
Does CarTakeBack have a Scrap Metal Dealer Site Licence?
Yes, CarTakeBack has a Scrap Metal Dealer site licence under the Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013.
