GOVERNMENT MUST ENSURE BETTER CAR DISPOSAL (Liz Lynne)

GOVERNMENT MUST ENSURE BETTER CAR DISPOSAL

July 12, 2007 5:20 PM

West Midlands MEP Liz Lynne has criticised the UK government for their slow enforcement of European rules regarding the safe disposal of scrap cars.

Speaking from Strasbourg after Euro-MPs voted yesterday to amend and tighten the existing legislation, Liz said:

"I welcome the amendments to the existing rules which should mean that more of the two million vehicles disposed of in Britain each year are dealt with more safely by helping to close loopholes exploited by disreputable scrap yards and also stop owners dumping at the side of the road."

"However we must not forget that existing rules have not been publicised or enforced sufficiently in the UK since they came into force, so many Britons are unaware of the requirements and Britain is lagging behind other European countries. In the Netherlands for example, a £30 surcharge on new cars has been in place for some time, and is already contributing to disposal costs."

Since the 1st of January scrap cars must be returned to an authorised scrap yard or to the manufacturer.

"Manufacturers must take responsibility for the products they make and are encouraged by existing legislation to design cars that can be easily recycled. However, the UK authorities need to get their house in order and ensure that disreputable yards do not simply tick a box and pour the oil and coolants down the drain in order to issue the required documentation."

"This legislation, once enforced fully, should ensure this happens and as such will be good for consumers, the environment and the car industry."

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

1. Today's agreement reforms the EU's End-of-Life Vehicles Directive and tightens regulations for awarding certificates of destruction awarded by disposal facilities.

2. The End-of-Life Vehicles Directive came into force in Europe on October 21, 2000 and European member states were required to implement the rules by April 21, 2002. The UK Government only started to bring the requirements of the directive into domestic law in November 2003.

3.The Directive already requires pollutants such as oil and brake fluids to be removed from cars sent for scrap and require manufacturers to offer a free takeback service for old bangers.

4. Car manufacturers and importers have been told that they must ensure that the vehicles they put on the market can be almost completely recycled. The European Parliament has set an 85% target that will apply to all new vehicles sold from 2010.

5. The West Midlands region produces 900,000 tonnes of scrap metal every year, with people discarding over 200,000 clapped-out cars, 200,000 fridges and 100,000 tonnes of electrical items.

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