Spain has emerged as a leader in vehicle recycling within Europe, showcasing a successful model for sustainable automotive management. By maximizing the reuse and recycling of end-of-life vehicles (ELVs), Spain has significantly reduced its automotive waste, contributing to a circular economy that aligns with EU environmental goal, according to Autobild.
In 2023, Spain reached a vehicle reuse and recycling rate of 88%, alongside a recovery rate of 93% for waste materials from retired vehicles. These figures are substantial improvements from prior years and highlight Spain’s progress in reducing its automotive carbon footprint. Manuel Kindelan, general manager of the Spanish Association for the Environmental Treatment of End-of-Life Vehicles (Sigrauto) highlights that Spain’s CATs and shredders could handle twice the current vehicle volume. Currently, Spain’s infrastructure includes over 1,400 CATs, 25 shredding plants, and nine post-fragmentation facilities, ensuring that ELVs are processed safely and effectively across the country.
Spain’s recycling network involves several stages to achieve such high recovery rates. The journey of an ELV begins with its deregistration, managed by the General Directorate of Traffic (DGT) in cooperation with CATs. Once deregistered, the vehicle undergoes a rigorous dismantling process where usable parts are salvaged for reuse and hazardous materials are removed. After the depollution process, the remaining vehicle components are sent to shredding and post-fragmentation plants, where metals are extracted, and non-recyclable materials are processed into fuel for industrial purposes. This comprehensive approach ensures that up to 95% of each vehicle’s weight is either reused, recycled, or recovered, minimizing waste and preventing pollution.
There are challenges, despite the country’s achievements; one of the most pressing issues is the aging vehicle fleet in Spain. The average vehicle age at CATs is now 21 years, reflecting a delay in the retirement of older cars that lack modern safety and emissions technology. This trend is attributed to fewer vehicle retirements and an increasing number of vehicles being kept in operation. To address this, Spain is working on new incentives to encourage the retirement of old vehicles and promote the adoption of eco-friendly, low-emission models. These policies aim to reduce road safety risks while supporting the shift toward sustainable automotive practices.
Spain’s proactive stance in vehicle recycling is bolstered by supportive EU regulations, including Royal Decree 265/2021, which governs the treatment of end-of-life vehicles. Additionally, a new EU regulation aims to incorporate circular economy principles into vehicle design, making it easier to recycle components. Plans for a “digital waste passport” are also underway, which would track each vehicle component’s life cycle, ensuring better resource management and traceability from production to disposal.
Spain aims to further reduce emissions, optimise recycling processes, and eventually ensure that every new vehicle includes a growing proportion of recycled materials, advancing toward a fully sustainable automotive future.
Source autobild.es
