End of Life Vehicles

In order to dispose of a vehicle of which you are the registered owner, you are required to deposit it at an authorised treatment facility for appropriate treatment and recovery. The specific measures in relation to the collection, reuse and recycling of end-of-life vehicles is outlined by a European Commission Directive. The Waste Management (End-of-Life Vehicles) Regulations 2010 facilitate its implementation in Ireland. Under the Directive, each Member State is required to:

• By the 1st of January 2015, achieve new recovery and recycling targets of 95% for reuse and recovery by average weight per vehicle deposited for appropriate treatment, with 85% of the materials recycled.
• Ensure that all end-of-life vehicles are treated and recovered by industry at no cost to the owner of that vehicle and in a way that does not cause environmental pollution.
• Set up systems which ensure that certificates of destruction are sent to the vehicle registration authorities on the deposit of end-of-life vehicles by their registered owners at authorised treatment centres.
• Reduce the use of specific hazardous substances in vehicles.

Ireland achieved its End-of-Life Vehicle (ELV) targets in 2018 with a reuse and recycling percentage of 86% and a reuse and recovery percentage of 95% (EPA, 2020).

Further information on end-of-life vehicles is available on the Citizens Information website.