Global car salvage code needed urgently says Bluecycle

Oct. 13, 2010 - PRLog -- With more vehicles forecast to be produced in the next 20 years than in the entire history of the motor industry to date, its feared millions of scrapped cars may find their way back onto the roads if the global recycling community fails to take immediate action to implement internationally recognised standards, according to leading online car salvage auction business, Bluecycle.

Calling for the first worldwide code of practice for motor vehicle salvage, Bluecycle claims that the rising cost and complexity of vehicle repair presents a “clear and present danger” that more unsafe vehicles will be sold across borders and instances of fraud will escalate, unless countries work towards a common objective to improve standards and tighten controls relating to salvage categorisation and recycling.

Speaking at the USA’s Automotive Recycling Association annual convention to be held in Texas on 20-23 October, Andy Latham, Bluecycle’s Reputation Manager, will champion the case for the development of a global Code of Practice for the Disposal of Motor Vehicle Salvage and Re-use of Parts.

Commented Andy Latham, Reputation Manager, Bluecycle:

“Vehicle salvage has global reach now but there are differing standards of repair and legislation regarding recycled or ‘green’ parts, not to mention a severe lack of information exchange and documentation control. Continuing technical advances are making vehicle repair much harder and more expensive and this has the potential for sub-standard repair and fraud to increase on a global scale unless collective measures are taken to address these issues.”

In his address, Latham will warn the international salvage community that the consequences of doing nothing could end up costing lives from dangerous vehicles being sold to unsuspecting consumers and the prospect of individual Governments spending millions on further legislation.

In addition to the chassis, glass and trim that will require recycling over the next two decades, it’s estimated that over 9 billion batteries will need to be disposed of, as well as some 200 billion litres of oil, 54 billion tyres and 13 billion pyrotechnic devices (airbags).

Continued Latham:

“By working towards a universal endeavour that unites all the best practices across the world, there is a tremendous opportunity for the international salvage community to make a major contribution to the safety of motorists everywhere, not to mention the environmental benefits we can achieve. A single code of practice would empower the industry into change.”

Earlier this year, Bluecycle raised concerns that up to a million vehicles were avoiding destruction illegally each year in the UK, due to insufficient resources available to enforce European legislation governing their recycling.

The company called on the Government to step up local enforcement of the European End of Life Vehicles directive (ELV). Despite the successful efforts of the Environment Agency in closing hundreds of illegal scrap yards, a dearth of unauthorised operators remains responsible for a massive number of scrapped vehicles slipping through the net.

Bluecycle’s Andy Latham, said:

“We’re caught in a  ‘Lazurus effect’ where something like fifty per cent of vehicles scrapped don’t get a Certificate of Destruction. These cars are quite literally coming back from the dead.”


Ends

Note to Editors:
Introduced by the European Commission ten years ago, ELV first entered the UK statute books in 2002 and was fully incorporated in 2007. The law demands that 85% of every car leaving the road must be recycled by an ATF. In 2015, this rises to 95% of each vehicle scrapped.

Bluecycle is a leading online auction business, specialising in automotive and commercial plant salvage. Hundreds of online auctions are held each week and the company has handled over 600,000 vehicles through its state-of-the-art internet trading system. Since launching in 2000, Bluecycle has transformed the vehicle salvage industry through its robust web-based auction system.

Bluecycle only sells vehicles through its online auctions. Buyers of Category B vehicles, those which must never be returned to the road, are restricted to UK holders of full waste management or ELV licences only and a Certificate of Destruction must be uploaded as part of the purchase.

Bluecycle manages the complete disposal process, from vehicle recovery, documentation processing and storage to completion of the sale. Additional services, such as replacement vehicle provision, set Bluecycle apart from its competitors, giving customers the reassurance of dealing with a team whose expertise and professionalism are second to none.

www.bluecycle.com

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