The European Union End of Life Vehicles Regulations 2014 came into effect on 30 July 2014. These followed the Waste Management End of Life Vehicles Regulations which were introduced in Ireland in 2006.
These regulations ensure that when a car is scrapped, as much material as possible is recovered and recycled. This takes place in a way that does not harm the environment.
Please note: This information is a guide only and does not intend to provide, and should not be relied upon as a legal interpretation of the Regulations.
Typically, an end-of-life vehicle is a passenger car or a light commercial van that the registered owner wishes to dispose of as waste.
From 1 January 2007 owners of intact end-of-life cars and vans can deposit them free-of-charge at Authorised Treatment Facilities (ATF's).
An exception to the free take-back principle is provided where a vehicle is missing its essential components, or where waste has been added to the vehicle.
New regulations allowing for the establishment of a compliance scheme approach for the sector were introduced in November 2016. The new compliance scheme representing producers, End-of-Life Vehicle Environmental Services (ELVES) CLG, was established with effect from 1 January 2017.
The compliance scheme’s website www.elves.ie is a useful guide to all matters relevant to the ELV sector.
The Regulations require Producers (i.e. Importers and Manufacturers of vehicles) to nominate free take-back centres to be known as Authorised Treatment Facilities (ATF's) where the public can bring an end-of-life vehicle for final treatment. The public are obliged to use these facilities to dispose of their vehicles.
The vehicles are depolluted and dismantled in a manner that avoids environmental pollution, and the steel, plastic, glass, tyres etc. are recovered for recycling or re-use.
From the 1st January 2007 onwards owners and operators of ATF’s must issue a certificate of destruction to the registered owner of the ELV.
If you are the registered owner of a specified vehicle and wish to discard of that vehicle as waste, you are required to deposit that vehicle at an ATF for disposal.
Vehicles brought to ATF's for disposal should contain all essential components and not have any additional waste included in them.
There are four ATF's within Cork City Council's functional area:
National Recycling Limited,
John F. Connolly Road,
Churchfield,
Cork.
Tel: 021 430 5060
Cork Metal Company Ltd,
Dublin Hill,
Cork.
Tel: 021 430 9910
Pouladuff Dismantlers Cork Ltd,
Airport Road,
Cork.
Aidan Buckley,
Rathpeacon,
Mallow Road,
Co. Cork
Tel: 086 265 6361
There is no fee for the disposal of an end-of-life vehicle, provided the vehicle is brought directly to the facility. However the vehicle can be collected. This can be organised with the facility. There may be a cost involved for collection, depending on the distance from the facility. Please contact facility directly in regard to information on cost.
Upon surrender of the vehicle, the licensed facility will issue the registered owner with a Certificate of Destruction confirming that the vehicle concerned will be depolluted and dismantled in an environmentally safe manner.
The ATF retains the vehicle registration document and a copy of the certificate of destruction at the facility for a period of 7 years, and notifies the Department of Transport that the vehicle has been destroyed.
It should be noted that it is an offence for either the registered owner (or an Authorised Treatment Facility) to fail to comply with the law on the disposal of end-of-life vehicles. In particular, it is an offence not to obey the rules concerning vehicle certificates of destruction, or not to deposit at an Authorised Treatment Facility a vehicle that is intended to be discarded as waste.
A person who is caught doing so is liable to be prosecuted under Section 32 of the Waste Management Act, and may be fined up to €3,000 or imprisoned for up to 12 months.
Cork City Council as the Enforcement Authority of this Legislation can and will pursue all offenders who fail to comply in full with the Regulations.
You can visit the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment's website www.dccae.gov.ie which has a dedicated page on End of Life Vehicles.
Waste Enforcement Section,
Cork City Council,
City Hall,
Cork
Tel: 021-4924000
Waste Management (End of Life) Regulations 2006
European Union (End-of-Life Vehicles) Regulations 2014
European Union (End-of-Life Vehicles) (Amendment) Regulations 2016
