In 2000 the European Union (EU) passed Directive 2000/53/EC, more commonly known as the End of Life Vehicles (ELV) Directive, to minimize the large amount of waste created by dismantling and recycling vehicles. Since its inception, the regulation has undergone a number of changes and recently, the European Commission opened public consultation to further amend the directive.
What Is the ELV Directive?
The ELV Directive addresses vehicle waste in two major ways: by restricting the use of certain hazardous substances and by setting minimum thresholds for vehicle recyclability, reusability and recoverability. The following substances are restricted in vehicle manufacturing:
- Lead.
- Mercury.
- Cadmium.
- Hexavalent chromium.
These four substances, along with polybrominated biphenyls, diphenyl ethers and phthalates, are prohibited by the Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) Directive, however, motor vehicles are exempt from this legislation.
For a complete guide to the regulations impacting the automotive industry, download our eBook, Navigating the Compliance Landscape: Automotive.
The European Commission estimates that 7–8 million tonnes of waste are created annually by vehicles in the EU. In order to properly manage this, the directive establishes thresholds based on overall vehicle mass. As of January 1, 2015, all vehicles shall be manufactured with no less than 95 percent reusable or recoverable material and no less than 85 percent recyclable material.
In 2005, Directive 2005/64/EC, also referred to as the RRR Directive, established the guidelines for reusability, recoverability and recyclability as a necessary component of EU type-vehicle registration. This put the onus on manufacturers to ensure vehicles entered the market in compliance with these minimum thresholds.
Public Consultation
In 2018, the EU passed a new directive amending existing laws focused on waste, including the ELV Directive. The new directive included measures that established targets for specific substance usage, identified ELVs and tracked the location of ELVs. This directive also called for an evaluation of the ELV Directive to be performed by the end of 2020.
The European Commission is opening consultation on these matters to the following groups:
- General public.
- Producers.
- Distributors.
- Collectors.
- Motor vehicle insurance companies.
- Dismantlers.
- Other authorized treatment operators.
To participate in the public consultation, you may complete an online questionnaire, found here.
The consultation period will run until October 29, 2019.
The Assent Solution
The Assent Compliance Platform collects, manages and centralizes supply chain data for more efficient and informed decision making. To find out more, contact us today.
