Hazardous Materials When Scrapping Your Car
You might think that scrapping your car would be an incredibly easy thing to do, but the reality is that there are a lot of potentially hazardous chemicals and materials which need to be dealt with appropriately.
That is why it is often better to take your broken-down old car to the professionals who deal with scrapping cars on a day-to-day basis, as they will be able to dispose of these materials in a safe and responsible manner, rather than trying to do it yourself.
You certainly don’t want to do anything which could damage the environment and end up getting you into trouble with the authorities.
Just consider how many different components and materials go into making a car.
Clearly, those parts which cannot be recycled will have to be disposed of in such a way as not to pose a threat to the general public or the environment.
ATF Permit
Consequently, if you’ve decided to have your car scrapped you need to ensure you take it to a legitimate scrap yard that possesses an Authorised Treatment Facility (ATF) permit. This will offer you reassurance that dangerous and hazardous materials from your car will not be dumped somewhere illegally, potentially leading to environmental and health issues.
If a scrap yard has an ATF permit you know that your car will be disposed of legally, following the guidelines set out in the End of Life Vehicle (ELV) and Environmental Permitting regulations.
It is important that you do this, because a Certificate of Destruction (CoD) can only be issued by an ATF, and it is this certificate which is proof that you’re no longer responsible for the vehicle and that it has been destroyed in an environmentally responsible way.
The DVLA will also be informed that your car has been destroyed and is no longer yours, which means there will be one less thing for you to worry about.
These regulations were put in place to encourage scrap yard dealers to take a more environmentally-conscious approach to the scrapping of vehicles.
Thus an ATF is expected to invest in sealed drainage systems, buildings and other equipment that will facilitate the safe disposal of hazardous materials that are present in cars and other vehicles.
Failing to take the appropriate steps to safeguard the environment could lead to a scrapyard dealer being taken to court. However, there are still those who prefer to operate outside the law and so it is important for you to be vigilant when choosing where to have your car scrapped.
If you choose not to use an ATF, your car could end up being disposed of in an environmentally-harmful way and if you do not have the appropriate documentation to prove you have had your car destroyed properly, you could find yourself in trouble.
An ATF is expected to strip your car of hazardous materials that include oil, batteries and tyres before processing the metal car frame and recycling it. There is an expectation that as much of the car will be recycled as possible, as opposed to ending up as landfill and further contributing to society’s waste problem.
Ultimately, then, you want to ensure you put your car in the hands of someone responsible, rather than taking your chances with an unlicensed operator.
By choosing an ATF you know that your car will be disposed of in a safe and environmentally-friendly way and that hazardous materials will not damage water supplies, land or people’s health.
You will also be given the right documentation that proves you have disposed of your car responsibly. This will give you peace of mind, since you won’t have to worry that you could be punished when parts of your car turn up somewhere they shouldn’t be and are traced back to you.
Consequently, it is worth finding an ATF where you can have your car scrapped safely and legitimately.