Like it or not, it’s the job of EU regulators to periodically revisit recycling standards and decide that the efforts being made on the whole are not sufficient. It’s only by constantly raising the bar that Europe and indeed the UK can hope to eventually reach a level where recycling efficiency is as close to 100% as it is ever going to be, which would ensure that as little as possible went to waste and the needs of the population were met long-term.
The most recent example concerns vehicle plastics as according to official data, the use of plastics in the production of vehicles has increased massively over recent years. Such efforts have of course been to help keep both weights and production costs down to absolute minimums, which can work wonders for both motorists and the environment alike. Plastic doesn’t corrode, costs less to produce and can help make a vehicle more fuel-efficient – an all-round series of gains. 
Today, the average vehicle is made up of about 15% plastic parts and accessories, which when you think about the size and weight of a car is quite a lot to say the least. In fact, it’s in the region of 175kg of plastic per car. And this is where the problem lies as far as some of the industry’s less-proactive scrapping and recycling companies are concerned, as while there’s plenty to be said for the value of scrap steel and other metals, scrap plastic really isn’t worth a great deal in a monetary sense. As such, it’s commonplace for cars to be stripped of the valuable stuff with the left being condemned to a rather unknown future. And when you consider that a million cars a year across the UK alone are scrapped, this equates to a colossal amount of plastic that needs to be handled responsibly.
Suffice to say, you can see why EU lawmakers are so very up in arms about the whole thing.
The way they see it, the total extent to which a scrap car as a whole should either be recycled or put back to use is 95%. There will always be those bits and pieces for which a second life just isn’t possible, but for the overwhelming majority of the car’s body, parts and all else besides, there’s plenty that can be done for the cause.
Having only ever worked in accordance with EU guidelines in order to remain ahead of the bar, Take My Scrap Car assures all clients of a scrapping and recycling service that ticks all regulatory boxes and fulfils all criteria. We understand it’s difficult for the average owner to know what to do when the car’s life comes to an end, but we assure that by coming to us you’ll be doing your ‘bit’ for the cause in general. It’s all about looking out for the future of the UK and Europe as a whole, for which the recycling efforts of today will play a role of critical importance tomorrow.
