Goals

Good intentions are not enough to regulate an entire industry. Responsible car recycling across the globe must be legislated to fully protect the environment from the impact of end of life vehicles. Comprehensive car recycling regulations are needed in every country, with support for the infrastructure in emerging economies.

Ideally, only businesses able to offer a legal, responsible car recycling service would be available. But currently, in the majority of countries, the public need to research where their car ends up. To support regulated car recycling, car owners need to make the right decision for their end of life vehicle, and where that choice isn't available, put pressure on their car's manufacturer or the government's environment department to help.

A key part of responsible recycling is the depollution of a vehicle. Every car contains harmful chemicals and toxins that could significantly damage the environment. Fuel, brake fluid, coolant, oil, even windscreen washer fluids have to be safely removed from vehicles, stored and sent to specialist recyclers for processing.

Energy and raw materials can be saved by re-conditioning existing car parts. Where possible, engines, batteries, tyres, transmission systems and even windscreens and mirrors may be salvaged to get the maximum life out of them and avoid new manufacturing processes.

Once a car has been depolluted, parts removed, crushed and shredded, what completes effective car recycling is separation and innovative processing. Shredded vehicles should be separated into metals, glass, plastics and fabrics. Specialist recyclers can then create high quality materials from those sources.

For effective car recycling, salvaged and recycled materials need to be used in new car manufacture. Car brands are already investing in these circular economies to protect their industry and the environment. Recycled materials provide a solution to the resource crisis we face as a globe, while providing the quality, safety, durability and even luxury that car makes promote.

Making the car industry truly sustainable goes beyond recycling vehicles at the end of their life. Materials' recyclability, disassembly, separation and re-use must be planned from conception. When car manufacturers achieve circular economies, a sustainable car industry can be achieved across the globe