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What Is the ELV Directive?

The ELV Directive seeks to prevent or limit waste and improve the re-use, recycling and recovery of ELVs and their components. Put simply it’s designed to ensure that vehicles that have reached the end of their useful life can be disposed of with the minimum environmental impact. 

The ELV Directive requires all UK manufacturers and importers to: 

  • Take back qualifying vehicles they have put on the market at the end of their useful life ensuring that they are disposed of in an environmentally responsible manner. 
  • Ban the use of hazardous materials (for new cars from 3rd November 2003 excluding some parts where it is essential for use) such as Lead, Mercury, Cadmium and Hexavalent Chromium. 
  • Meet the recycling and recovery targets of 85 percent by weight in 2006 (including a maximum of 5% energy recovery) and from 2015 a recycling and recovery target of 95% (including a maximum of 10% energy) recovery Facilitate disposal in an environmentally-friendly manner.

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The Legislation Defines a Qualifying Vehicle as Follows:

The legislation defines a qualifying vehicle as follows:

  • The vehicle must be delivered to a manufacturer/importer appointed free take back facility 
  • The vehicle must be complete, containing the essential components of the vehicle including the engine, transmission, coachwork, wheels and catalyst (where originally fitted) 
  • The vehicle must be free of additional waste (such examples include garden /household waste, additional tyres etc.)

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Subaru’s Take-Back Network?

To meet the recycling and recovery targets, Subaru (UK) Limited has signed a comprehensive 10-year agreement with Autogreen Limited to be the service provider for Subaru end-of-life vehicles. 

Autogreen will provide a contracted network of “take back” and “Authorised Treatment Facilities” (ATFs) throughout the United Kingdom ensuring that the minimum mandated re-use, recovery and recycling targets are met. 

The contracted ATF will take back free of charge any qualifying ELVs that are presented by the last owner or keeper (presenting evidence of ownership). Until 1 January 2007 free take back was only applicable to vehicles registered on or after 1 July 2002. 

All of the Autogreen contracted ATF partner sites are fully compliant with DEFRA standards and have been approved/licensed by the Environmental Agency. In addition all contracted sites operate state of the art recycling equipment. Through their computerised links to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) they will be able to de-register cars so that the last owner’s responsibility for the vehicle ends with a unique Certificate of Destruction (COD) being subsequently issued.

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The De-pollution Process

When a vehicle has reached the end of its useful life and is presented at one of our contracted sites it will be de-polluted as follows: 

  • The draining of all fluids and gases 
  • The removal of the battery, wheels and tyres 
  • The neutralisation (activation) of the air bags 
  • NB: Any saleable parts will be removed and sold. 
The vehicle will then be crushed and transferred to a site where it will be shredded into tiny pieces. Separation techniques are used to recover metallics, for recycling new ferrous and non-ferrous metals. 
The remaining material known as shredder residue can be further treated and sorted for the recovery of glass and other materials, which are then used in an increasing number of applications such as an aggregate for road building.
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Disposal of Car Batteries

Under the Waste Batteries Regulation batteries are not allowed to go to landfill or be incinerated so cannot be included with ordinary refuse and must now be sent for recycling. 

The Waste Batteries legislation has deemed Subaru (UK) Limited to be a producer of Automotive Batteries with certain obligations regarding the collection of waste batteries since 1st of January 2010. 

An automotive battery is any battery that is used for automotive starter, lighting or ignition power. 

Operators of businesses where waste automotive batteries arise in significant volumes as part of their day to day business (such as garages, scrap yards, end-of-life vehicle Authorised Treatment Facilities or Civic Amenity Sites) are entitled to have their automotive batteries removed free of charge. Our Service provider for ELV and Waste Battery collection is Autogreen: www.autogreen.eu or 0800 542 2002. 

Producers such as Subaru (UK) Limited are not obliged to collect batteries from individual private customers (vehicle owners) however householders are allowed to deposit waste automotive batteries at Civic Amenity Sites without charge. 

Or details of the nearest recycling facility to you, please see www.recycle-more.co.uk

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Disposal of Electric Vehicle (EV) Traction Batteries (Industrial Batteries)

As electric vehicles (EVs) grow in popularity, it's important to know how to properly dispose of their batteries. EV batteries are typically large lithium-ion units that require special handling due to their chemical makeup. According to the Waste Batteries Regulation, these batteries cannot be sent to landfill or incinerated and must be recycled, as improper disposal poses environmental and safety risks.
Since 1 January 2010, the Waste Batteries legislation has identified Subaru (UK) Limited as a producer of industrial batteries, imposing certain obligations regarding the collection of waste batteries. Industrial batteries are defined as those used to power electric vehicles.
Businesses that generate waste industrial batteries, such as garages, scrapyards, and authorised end-of-life vehicle treatment facilities, are entitled to have these batteries collected at no cost. Subaru (UK) Limited’s service provider for end-of-life vehicle (ELV) and waste battery collection is Autogreen, which can be reached at www.autogreen.eu or 0800 542 2002.
However, producers like Subaru (UK) Limited are not required to collect industrial batteries directly from private customers (vehicle owners). Private customers can arrange for the removal and collection of waste industrial batteries by contacting any authorised Subaru dealer, which can be found at https://subaru.co.uk/find-dealer.
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Dismantling Information

To support de-pollution and dismantling, since January 1999 Subaru has collaborated with other car manufacturers to develop an information database called the International Dismantling Information System (IDIS). 

IDIS contains data on the material composition of vehicle components, on the draining of fluids, the handling of pyrotechnic components and details of any special tools needed. IDIS information is updated three times per year and is now web based. For further information please visit www.idis2.com. 

If you wish to dispose of your old Subaru please contact Autogreen on 0800 5422002 or www.autogreen.eu and the location of your closest ATF will be advised based on your individual post code.

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Portable Batteries

Producers such as Subaru (UK) Limited who place less than 1 tonne of portable batteries on the market in a year have no collection, treatment or recycling obligations. 

There are however many thousands of free collections points in Stores, Supermarkets such as Currys, Mothercare, Poundland, Sainsbury’s, Tesco, WH Smith, Boots together with Libraries, Schools and other Public buildings.