The End-of-life Vehicles (ELV) Regulations were introduced to the UK to ensure that any vehicle that had reached the end of its useful life, is recycled and recovered in a manner that does not harm the environment.

ELVs include a vast array of vehicles, including cars, motorbikes, vans, buses and HGVs, all of which have the potential to be classified as hazardous waste, given the levels of oils and lubricants they usually still contain. The ELV Regulations ensure that those who carry out ELV de-polluting and recycling activities do so in accordance with strict requirements and in accordance with a site Environmental Management System.

TotalWM operate ELV de-polluting and recovery activities at each of our sites. These activities are undertaken in accordance with the strict conditions stated on our Environmental Permit, issued and regulated by the Environment Agency. All hazardous wastes, such as any oils and lubricants, are consigned to specialist facilities to be themselves recovered and recycled into secondary products.

Owners of ELVs are able to deposit their vehicles at TotalWM sites to be recycled accordingly. At this point, owners will be required to hand over the vehicle’s V5C registration documentation and, following full recovery and treatment of the vehicle, TotalWM will issue an official DVLA Certificate of Destruction (CoD).