When a car reaches the end of its useful life, getting rid of it involves a little more than simply handing it over to the nearest scrap yard. End-of-life vehicles are subject to environmental and DVLA rules designed to make sure they are dismantled, depolluted and recycled safely.
If your car is ready to be scrapped, it needs to be handled through an Authorised Treatment Facility (ATF). Here is what that means, what happens to your vehicle and what paperwork you should expect.
What Is an End-of-Life Vehicle?
An end-of-life vehicle, often shortened to ELV, is a vehicle that has reached the end of its useful life and is classed as waste.
This could include a car that has failed its MOT and is uneconomical to repair, a badly damaged vehicle, a non-runner or simply an older car where the cost of keeping it on the road is no longer worthwhile.
Once a vehicle is classed as an ELV, it must be treated in accordance with end-of-life vehicle regulations.
What Is an Authorised Treatment Facility?
An Authorised Treatment Facility is a site approved to handle and treat end-of-life vehicles.
In England, an ATF must have the appropriate environmental permit and meet requirements for storing, depolluting and dismantling vehicles safely.
When an end-of-life vehicle arrives at an ATF, hazardous fluids and materials must be dealt with correctly before the remaining vehicle is dismantled and processed for recycling or recovery.
You can find more information about the legal process on the GOV.UK guide to scrapping a vehicle.
What Happens When a Car Is Scrapped?
Cars contain a mixture of reusable components, recyclable materials and substances that can cause environmental damage if they are not handled correctly.
During the depollution process, an ATF deals with materials including:
- Fuel
- Engine, gearbox and transmission oils
- Brake fluid and coolant
- Air-conditioning gases
- Batteries
- Tyres
- Catalytic converters
- Other potentially hazardous components and fluids
Reusable parts may also be removed from suitable vehicles before the remaining materials are processed for recycling and recovery.
Why Reusing Car Parts Matters
Not every component on an unwanted car has reached the end of its life just because the vehicle itself has.
Engines, gearboxes, lights, mirrors, body panels, electrical components and many other parts can sometimes be removed and reused, helping motorists repair other vehicles without always needing to buy brand-new replacements.
Allstar Breakers specialises in supplying quality used car parts from vehicles being broken for spares. Our stock changes constantly as more vehicles arrive, so it is worth getting in touch if you are looking for a specific part.
You can also see some of the latest vehicles available for parts on our currently breaking page.
Will I Get a Certificate of Destruction?
If an eligible car, light van or three-wheeled vehicle is completely scrapped, the Authorised Treatment Facility will issue a Certificate of Destruction (CoD).
Current GOV.UK guidance states that this should be provided within seven days. The certificate confirms that the vehicle has been handed over for destruction and provides important evidence that it has been taken out of use.
You should keep your Certificate of Destruction safely.
Do I Still Need to Tell the DVLA?
Yes. When you take or send a vehicle to an Authorised Treatment Facility, GOV.UK advises you to tell the DVLA that the vehicle has been transferred to an ATF.
If you have the V5C logbook, this forms part of the process. We can explain what information and paperwork you will need when you arrange collection of your vehicle.
Can You Be Paid Cash for a Scrap Car?
No. If your vehicle is being completely scrapped in England or Wales, it is illegal for the scrap value to be paid in cash.
Payment must instead be made by an approved method such as bank transfer or cheque.
There is a different legal position where a vehicle is not being scrapped and is instead bought for repair and resale, but a vehicle being treated as an end-of-life vehicle cannot legally be purchased for scrap with cash.
How Can You Tell if a Scrap Car Company Is Legitimate?
Before handing over an end-of-life vehicle, make sure you know who is collecting it and where it will ultimately be processed.
A legitimate vehicle collection and recycling process should provide clear information about:
- Who is collecting the vehicle
- Where an end-of-life vehicle will be processed
- The payment method
- The DVLA paperwork involved
- Whether a Certificate of Destruction will be issued
If somebody is vague about where your vehicle is going, offers cash for a car they say will be scrapped or cannot explain the paperwork, it is sensible to ask more questions before handing the vehicle over.
What Happens to the Car After Depollution?
Once hazardous materials have been dealt with and reusable components have been removed where appropriate, the remaining vehicle can be processed for recycling and recovery.
Metals and other materials can then be separated and recycled for use in manufacturing rather than simply being sent to landfill.
This is one of the reasons proper end-of-life vehicle treatment matters: it helps recover useful materials while reducing the risk of oils, fuels and other hazardous substances entering the environment.
Scrapping or Breaking Your Car with Allstar Breakers
Allstar Breakers buys unwanted, damaged, non-running and end-of-life vehicles from customers across Preston, Lancashire, Greater Manchester and the wider North West.
Some cars may have value because of the reusable parts they contain, while others are at the end of their usable life and need to be processed accordingly.
Send us your registration, postcode and a few details about the vehicle and we will assess what it could be worth and explain the collection, payment and paperwork process that applies.
For a no-obligation quote, use the enquiry form on our website or call 01772 700607.