The Environmental Protection Agency has published the National results for End-of-Life Vehicle (ELV) recycling for 2019, which showed that once again Ireland has both met and exceeded the 85% reuse and recycling and the 95% reuse and recovery targets for the treatment of ELVs. The results for 2019 were 87.43% reuse and recycling and 95.21% reuse and recovery.

ELVES, the compliance scheme for End-of-Life Vehicles, is delighted with this result. Fiacra Quinn, CEO of ELVES commented, “Meeting both targets for the second year in a row and improving year on year, really demonstrates the impact of ELVES on improving the processing of End-of-Life Vehicles in Ireland. Long may it continue.”

The 85% and 95% targets have been in place since 2015, and 2018 was the first year Ireland met both targets. The 85% target covers reuse of parts and recycling of materials. The 95% target includes reuse, recycling, and other forms of recovery such as waste to energy.

The ELVES compliance scheme has been operating under Ministerial approval since 2017, promoting its Network of Authorised Treatment Facilities (ATFs) that take back ELVs from the public free of charge for recycling. Once dropped off at an ATF, the owner of the vehicle is issued with a Certificate of Destruction that ends their responsibility for the vehicle. The Network consists of 64 ATFs that account for 80% of Certificates of Destruction issued in Ireland.

Elena Wrelton, Environmental Compliance Manager of ELVES said, “The 2019 results show the important contribution that ATFs and re-processors make to Ireland’s circular economy. With the support of ELVES, the country has seen good results turn into a great result. ELVES’ support of additional post shredder recovery, the reuse and recycling at ATFs, and ensuring that the public know how to correctly scrap a vehicle is really paying off.”