International Review of Waste Management Policy - Department of ...

equal to 150,000 with one supplemental facility provided for each additional
150,000 persons. The producer is obliged to establish a formal relationship with
ATFs, but an agreement must not last longer than 3 years. This is a producer
responsibility initiative based on the Polluter Pays Principle. Producers were required
to register with each local authority by the 21 July 2006. They are required to apply
for renewal of registration on 31 January each year.
Since 1 st January 2007, owners of intact end of life cars and vans must deposit such
vehicles at an ATF. When an ELV is deposited at an ATF, the owner will receive a CoD.
If an ELV is deposited at an unauthorised facility, the owner will not receive a CoD and
may remain recorded as the registered owner of the vehicle on the Department of
Transport’s National Vehicle and Driver File.
ATFs provide a free take-back service for vehicles of that producer’s brand. An ATF
that forms part of a producer’s network is bound to accept any specified vehicle of
that producer’s brand. If essential parts of the vehicle (for example, engine, gearbox,
transmission and catalytic converter) are missing, or the vehicle contains waste, then
a charge may apply. An operator of an ATF is obliged to:
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� Issue the registered owner with a CoD;
� Ensure the facility is operated under an appropriate waste licence or permit;
� Meet the minimum technical requirements for the storage, treatment and
recovery of ELVs and the storage of components containing fluids, spare parts
etc.;
� Keep records of end of life vehicle materials for reuse, recycling, recovery and
disposal and report these records to local authorities annually;
� Use component and material coding to facilitate identification of components
that are suitable for reuse and recovery;
� Forward the details of the CoDto the National Vehicle and Driver File, maintained
by the Department of Transport; and
� The vehicle must be treated within 10 days of being deposited at the facility.
The ELV Regulations also impose obligations on producers to reduce hazardous
waste produced from cars. About 25% of a vehicle’s weight is classified as hazardous
waste, therefore vehicles account for almost 10% of the total amount of hazardous
waste generated annually in the European Union. 473 Hazardous materials include
lead acid batteries, fluids including lubricating oil, coolant, brake fluid and catalytic
converters, all of which must be disposed of safely in order to prevent pollution. The
treatment of ELVs at dedicated treatment centres, designed to dismantle vehicles in
accordance with environmental best practice, allows hazardous substances to be
removed and segregated from the main vehicle metal mass. Thus there is a welcome
reduction in the volumes of hazardous waste that would have been previously
generated by the shredding of whole vehicles without any pre-treatment. Such a
473 Directive 2000/53/EC on end of life vehicles, (Version 1 – January 2005) – Guidance Document.
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