In a time when prioritizing sustainable practices is essential, the recycling of end-of-life vehicles emerges as a vital pursuit in the global economy. Our insight into Poland’s car recycling industry comes from the perspective of r2eko, led by CEO and Founder Artur Owczarek.
Current situation of the Polish automotive sector
Waste recycling is one of the most important challenges in today’s global economy.
Effectively recycling all types of waste, primarily raw material waste such as steel, non-ferrous metals, plastics, paper, and other waste fractions, is the basis for the successful pursuit of a circular economy.
Dismantling end-of-life vehicles is an excellent example of recovering a very large amount of materials for reuse.
Currently, there are approximately 26 million vehicles registered in Poland. In this respect, Poland ranks fourth in Europe, after Germany (48.5 million), Italy (39.8 million) and France (38.7 million), ahead of Spain (24.9 million).
Poland is the leader in Europe per 1,000 inhabitants, with 687 vehicles per 1,000 inhabitants. Thus, our country is ahead of Luxembourg, with 681 vehicles per 1,000 inhabitants, and Italy, with 675 vehicles per 1,000 inhabitants.
Approximately half a million new vehicles are registered in Poland annually, and this trend is increasing by approximately 5% each year.
Unfortunately, over 40 percent of vehicles registered in Poland are over 20 years old, however, considering Poland’s dynamic development and the increasing number of new and electric vehicles, it is expected that the number of vehicles sent to vehicle dismantling operations will begin to increase dynamically.
It is estimated that from 500,000 passenger cars, approximately 350,000 Mg of ferrous scrap, 17,000 Mg of non-ferrous metals, 29,000 Mg of plastics, 14,000 Mg of rubber, 8,770 Mg of glass cullet, 2,840 Mg of oils, 970 Mg can be recovered lead.
Complicated and long administrative process and the advantages of completing it
In order to legally run a vehicle dismantling business in Poland, you must undergo a long and complex administrative procedure, including environmental impact assessment, construction law, fire regulations, sanitary regulations, and meet the so-called ‘minimum environmental requirements’, which include, among others, a separator of petroleum substances, a scale with a weighing scale of not less than 3.5 Mg, a storage sector for accepted vehicles located on a hardened, tight surface of not less than 200 m2, marked containers for the following waste removed or removed from vehicles.
After going through the entire administrative procedure, applicable environmental regulations must be complied with; however, you can legally dismantle vehicles, recovering secondary raw materials and spare parts for vehicles, which, due to the average age of the car in Poland, are very popular both in Poland and all over Europe.
It is worth emphasizing that both opening and running a disassembly station for end-of-life vehicles is much cheaper in Poland than, for example, in Great Britain.
A very important aspect resulting from the tightening of waste and environmental protection regulations in Poland in 2018 is the shortage of professional installations processing both dismantled vehicles and other waste fractions, in particular plastics, glass and paper. This situation puts legally operating companies in a privileged position overall production entities or entities introducing products in packaging which must demonstrate an appropriate level of recycling of raw materials from which the packaging they put on the market was manufactured.
r2eko’s role in developing the car recycling sector and exact role between car recycling companies and Polish administration
In order to solve these challenges, the administration and car recyclers should look to environmental engineering companies to help them with the process and ensure they are already aligned with regulations before considering opening in Poland.
This is why r2eko provides advice on sustainability practices that guide businesses on the best and most efficient recycling methods in a sustainable manner. This involves recommending the latest technologies and methodologies that align with the principles of the circular economy. Thus, these companies will comply with regulations in Poland, making the process of obtaining execution and environmental permits easier and faster.
r2eko acts as an intermediary between car recycling companies and the Polish administration to speed up the process and facilitate communication between both parties. However, r2eko are working hard to collaborate with policymakers on behalf of automotive recyclers to support the growth of this sector.
Their role is ongoing, and they also provide training programs to businesses to keep them up to date with the latest technologies, environmental regulations, and sustainable practices.
These trainings can be a part of any company’s CSR, and r2eko also focus on students from different fields to create awareness about sustainability.
Their ongoing support includes ongoing assessment of environmental impact, including waste, water, and emissions, to ensure businesses comply with Polish regulations and update businesses as necessary.
In summary, the role of r2eko is multi-faceted and includes consultation, facilitating communication, research promotion, and continuous monitoring.
Through these efforts, r2eko aims to contribute to the development of a thriving and sustainable car recycling sector in cooperation with both industry players and regulatory authorities in Poland.
To find out more about r2eko, please go to r2eko.com
