- More vehicles recycled than at any time in history
- Lowest level of landfill on record
- Uncertainty over future of ELV legislation
A new record for the recycling of cars and light vans has just
been reported in the fourth annual report from the Automotive Consortium On
Recycling and Disposal (ACORD). The latest figures show the commitment of ACORD
members to developing new processes and improving the efficiency of existing
recovery methods.
The results from 2000 show a growing number of vehicles reaching
their end of life and being disposed of and, for the first time, less than 20
per cent of the material ended up as landfill. This encouraging progress has
been achieved by improvements throughout the treatment process, making motor
vehicles one of the most recyclable of consumer products.
Vehicle manufacturers have developed dismantling information
and parts marking for most of the 2,017,137 vehicles scrapped. They are also
active into the research and development of new recycling technologies. The
plastics industry has developed specifications for grading recycled plastics
to encourage its selection for re-use, and the shredding and dismantling sectors
have made efficiency improvements in recovery rates over the previous year.
Christopher Macgowan, SMMT chief executive commented, ‘The
data released today demonstrates the results of the commitment by industry to
recycle vehicles, and also demonstrates that the sharing of responsibility across
sectors is the best way to deliver results.
‘The biggest obstacle to progress in our drive for even higher
levels of recyclability is the uncertainty about the implementation of the End
of Life Vehicles Directive. The Government needs to establish an implementation
strategy that maximises the existing treatment infrastructure, minimises costs
and encourages last owners to dispose of their vehicles in a responsible manner’.
Notes to Editors
- ACORD (the Automotive Consortium On Recycling and Disposal)
is a cross-sector consortium comprising representatives of motor vehicle manufacturers,
the vehicle dismantling and shredding industries, and the plastic and rubber
manufacturing industries. In addition, ACORD has the support and participation
of component suppliers, the steel and glass industries, the insurance industry
and UK government departments.
- The 2001 ACORD report contains data gathered in 2000 as
detailed in the attachment. Any reproduction of the data requires authorisation
by SMMT and publication must acknowledge the source as SMMT Ltd.
- The report can be seen in full (in this web site)
