Author name: Nicolas Saenz

Stiba, the trusted trade association and advocate for certified car, motorcycle, and truck dismantling companies, has continued to uphold its mission of promoting high environmental and quality standards for over 35 years. Representing a network of dismantling companies committed to sustainable practices and certified quality, Stiba not only champions the industry but also reinforces the value of part reuse and recycling.

Benedetta Nucci, Senior Manager Mobility & Life Cycle Assessment, and Patrik Ragnarsson, Director Mobility & Strategic Projects at European Aluminium, discuss the rise of aluminium in cars, now making up 10-15% of vehicle weight. With electric vehicles increasing demand for specific alloys, recycling challenges emerge. They emphasize improving aluminium recovery from end-of-life vehicles, addressing alloy quality, and adapting recycling practices to meet growing sustainability and circularity goals in the automotive industry.

Policy innovations surrounding End-of-Life Vehicles (ELVs) in India have been evolving in response to the growing need for efficient recycling and scrapping processes. Over the years, several government initiatives and regulations have aimed to address the shortage of ELVs, a significant challenge in the recycling industry. PK Banerjee, Executive Director of SIAM, discusses the policy advancements and their impact on managing ELVs.

FEDEREC, representing 1,200 French companies engaged in waste collection, sorting, material recovery, and raw materials trading, recently issued a press release concerning Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for End-of-Life Vehicles (ELVs). This regulatory shift is reshaping France’s automotive industry’s approach to sustainability, bringing both opportunities and challenges for car manufacturers and the recycling sector. As the debate intensifies, FEDEREC emphasizes the need for a balanced approach that promotes environmental goals and market fairness, urging collaboration among all stakeholders.

The European Commission has recently introduced a proposal aimed at revamping regulations concerning end-of-life vehicles, focusing on eliminating hazardous substances in new cars while promoting the reuse and recycling of parts and materials from retired vehicles. In response to this significant initiative, ARN, on behalf of the Auto Recycling Foundation, has issued an official statement expressing its perspective and recommendations regarding the proposed regulations.

ELVES, the compliance scheme for End-of-Life Vehicles, has just overseen the delivery of IMI (Institute of the Motor Industry) Authorised Electric Vehicle Dismantling training for the first time in Ireland at TUS Limerick.  This training provides dismantlers in the motor industry with the skills to safely shut down electric vehicles and prepare them for recycling and reuse in an environmentally friendly manner.

According to a recent report by analysts, Fact.MR, the global market for steel scrap, is predicted to rise from 655 million tonnes to 1,050 million tonnes by 2033. The projected period is expected to see an expansion in the market due to increased efforts by steel manufacturers to reduce carbon emissions.

Autocirc acquires Norwegian Delehuset AS. The company specializes in dismantling, quality assurance and sales of used truck parts. Through the acquisition, Autocirc strengthens its presence in Norway and becomes an even more complete supplier of spare parts to the automotive industry.

December 2022 saw sustainable metals producer Hannans Ltd readmitted to the Australian Stock Exchange following Greenhouse Investments Ltd, based in the UK and Ireland, taking a stake in the business.

Panasonic Energy Co., Ltd., a Panasonic Group Company, announced that it has entered an agreement with Redwood Materials Inc. (“Redwood”; Carson City, Nevada), a sustainable battery materials manufacturer, for the purchase of cathode active materials and copper foil for EV lithium-ion batteries. Redwood’s recycled cathode active materials will be used in lithium-ion batteries to be manufactured at a new facility in De Soto, Kansas starting in 2025, and its recycled copper foil will be used in lithium-ion batteries to be manufactured at Panasonic Energy of North America (PENA)’s facility in Sparks, Nevada starting in 2024.

Greater circularity in materials-use by the European automotive sector could reduce emissions associated with the materials used in production per vehicle by 60% by 2040, a new analysis by Bain & Company shows. A combination of recycling, improved material use, reuse and remanufacturing of components, and scaling of new mobility business models can create a circularity revolution in the sector, according to the Bain study.

On December 1st, Quebec vehicles sold at the ProgiPix car auction will become available to all buyers with a Canadian operating licence. This change will come with several other initiatives of interest to both vehicle buyers and auto recyclers.

Instead of simply stacking them on the floor, the car recycler Legalny Autozłom now stores end-of-life vehicles in robust cantilever racks from OHRA: The European market leader for cantilever racking offers robust cantilever racking for vehicles and vehicle parts, especially for recycling companies and towing services.

The dramatic increase in energy prices poses a substantial challenge to the European recycling industries. Major European recycling companies, including SMEs, have already significantly reduced or entirely suspended production. In these exceptional circumstances, the sector is urging policymakers to enact immediate financial aid to prevent significant long-term damage to European recycling.