Cars: Reusability, recyclability and recoverability

Publication date: 14 April 2005

By a large majority, Parliament has accepted a compromise deal (A6-0004/2005 final) on a directive on re-usability and recyclability of cars. The compromise negotiations between the rapporteur, Holger KRAHMER (ALDE, DE), shadow rapporteurs and the Council for a first reading deal proved successful and will lead to the implementation of a new system of type approval of vehicles. Starting 54 months after the directive enters into force, the Member States have to refuse the registration, sale or entry into service of new vehicles which will not comply with rules for re-usability and recyclability.

report_krahmer_recyclability.pdf (78 KB)

According to the directive, appropriate provisions must be laid down to ensure that type-approved vehicles may be put on the market only if they are re-usable and/or recyclable to a minimum of 85 per cent by mass and are re-usable and/or recoverable to a minimum of 95 per cent.

The manufacturer must make available to the approval authority all relevant technical information as regards constituent materials and their respective masses in order to permit verification of the manufacturer's calculations. The manufacturer must also list the dismantled component parts, declared with respect to the dismantling stage, and the process he recommends for their treatment.

The new directive will not apply to special purpose vehicles, multi-stage built vehicles and vehicles produced in small series. The deal says the special-purpose vehicles are designed to perform a specific function and require special bodywork arrangements which are not entirely under the control of the manufacturer. The market shares of vehicles produced in small series are very limited, so that there would be little benefit to the environment if they have to comply with the directive. There are also several component parts of vehicles which cannot be re-used in the construction of new vehicles (such as airbags and seat belts systems).

Related News Items:
- New provisions on recycling for motor vehicles from 2008 (11 March 2004)
- Recyclability of cars: MEPs call for easier implemention (20 January 2005)