Vehicles that are no longer roadworthy or operationally safe or for which the repair costs exceed the current value are classified as end-of-life vehicles. According to current figures, only 20 percent of it is recycled in Austria. As a result, the Austrian circular economy is missing out on valuable metals such as steel, aluminum, brass and copper worth several million euros, warns the Association of Austrian Waste Management Companies (VOEB).
The waste and resources industry is calling for old cars in Austria to be disposed of free of charge by manufacturers or importers. This is the only way they can be properly recycled in Austrian facilities. In addition to scrap metals such as steel, textile waste such as car seats or belts, but also plastic waste such as fittings, door panels, headlights, handles, and tanks are of great benefit to the Austrian economy. The EU is already working on using a new regulation to lay the foundation for more efficient recycling of end-of-life vehicles in Europe – and thus also in Austria.
Manufacturers and importers are obliged to take back cars free of charge
The End-of-Life Vehicles Act has been in place since 2002, which obliges manufacturers and importers to take back all end-of-life vehicles of their brand free of charge. For consumers, this means that old cars must be handed into one of the 4,000 take-back points that are authorized to take back vehicles free of charge. Anyone who secretly sells their old car for little money is contributing to illegal waste exports.
Gabriele Jüly, President of VOEB, said: “Illegal waste export is not a trivial offence and harms taxpayers and the environment in equal measure.” Old cars disposed of correctly in Austria make a significant contribution to securing valuable resources.
226 kg of waste materials are removed from the vehicle by hand
Specialist companies first remove all hazardous substances. These include oils, brake fluid, gasoline and coolants. The battery is also removed because it is almost completely recyclable, from plastic to lead. The airbags are then blown up, and other parts, such as headlights, engines or doors, are removed. On average, 226 kg of waste materials are removed from an end-of-life vehicle after it has been handed over to a recycling company. In addition to tyres and gearboxes, this also includes LCD displays, rims and the alternator. Of this, 216 kg are recycled materially, and 9 kg are recycled thermally. Jüly added: “A used tyre, for example – regardless of whether it is a wheelbarrow, car or truck tyre – is made of particularly resistant recyclable materials such as rubber, steel and nylon. We can recycle these materials in an environmentally friendly and resource-saving manner.”
Shredder system separates remaining recyclable materials
Whatever is left of the old car goes into the shredding system. Around half of the car’s weight is made of steel. Overall, however, end-of-life vehicles have a very heterogeneous, complex composition and consist of around 10,000 individual parts and 40 different materials. Jüly: “The main task of the shredder is to separate materials. Light materials, such as upholstery and plastic residues, are vacuumed up and collected in a container. Other, so-called shredder residues are thermally utilised in a power plant, producing electricity and district heating from waste.” Ultimately, the remaining metals, such as steel, steel aluminium, brass and copper, are separated first automatically and then by hand. This means that an additional 548 kg of waste materials can be recycled on average, and 111 kg can be burned. Overall, 85 percent of an old car can be recycled (thermal recycling: another 12%).
EU is working on new regulation for better vehicle recycling
The EU Commission has revised the existing rules for the reuse, recycling and recovery of vehicles and proposed a single regulation. In doing so, it wants to improve access to resources for the economies of the member states and contribute to the EU’s environmental and climate goals. The proposed measures are expected to generate net revenues of 1.8 billion euros by 2035, enable an annual reduction in CO2 emissions of 12.3 million tons by 2035 and increase the recovery of critical raw materials.
Sources and further information:
– Definition of old cars in the Federal Waste Management Plan 2023 (BAWP), Part 1, p. 171
– Numbers for the recycling of old cars: ARGE Shredder GmbH
– List of all take-back points for old cars
About the VOEB
The Association of Austrian Waste Management Companies (VOEB) is the voluntary interest group of commercially managed waste and resource management companies in Austria. The association currently represents over 250 member companies and, therefore, represents two-thirds – measured in terms of sales and employees – of private Austrian waste management companies. The industry directly and indirectly employs around 43,000 people, disposes of around two-thirds of all waste generated in Austria in 1,100 high-tech plants and generates sales of around 4 billion euros per year.
Visit www.voeb.at
Source: Association of Austrian Waste Management Companies (VOEB)
