Golden Rules to Be Complied With For End of Life Vehicles and Abandoned Vehicles in the UK

Golden rules are really special rules that one should always remember and never forget. They're very important and useful guideposts to keep us on course and going in the correct direction. (They have been named as such in this article simply as a device to help the reader understand and remember this article, and have no existence outside this article.)

It costs the citizens of the UK about £2 million GBP a year to get rid of abandoned vehicles. This is a huge cost.

In 2003 more than 500,000 folks moaned to their council's about the issue of abandoned vehicles.

The CIWM tells us that some councils have been spending as much as £80,000 GBP a year on this. Deserted and bothersome vehicles not only look unpleasant but pose a genuine danger from fires, explosion plus injury and crime. Regularly the results of, or leading to crime - abandoned vehicles can add to the fall in the amenity value of an area making residents feel that their life is hazardous and that they are liable to be exposed to violence.

So, we have produced our version of what we call the "Golden Rules" for Abandoned Vehicles, and we think that the 5 best ones for the regulation of Abandoned Vehicles in the UK, are:

Golden Rule # 1, is that the law governing the removal of vehicles is contained in the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, the Refuse Disposal (Amenity) Act 1978 and the Removal and Disposal of Vehicles Regulations 1986 (amended) 2002. The rationale behind this really is every one of us is responsible for the proper disposal of our own old and unwanted vehicle, and if we do not act responsibly and take it to a properly licensed waste disposal operator and pay for its disposal as necessary we are liable to the law for prosecution.

Golden Rule # 2, Local authorities have to perform their duty under Section 3 of the Refuse Disposal (Amenity) Act 1978 to remove a vehicle that is abandoned in their area, on any land in the open air or on any other land forming part of a highway.

However, this does not cover vehicles abandoned on private land which is covered under other legislation. Under this other Act as well, abandoning a vehicle is a criminal offence. This might affect you because you should not think that you can leave a vehicle lying around off the highway either, as you will also potentially be prosecuted. Make certain and remember that nobody should not take lightly the act of abandoning a vehicle. It is a highly unsocial action and society does intend to take action against those who do this.

Golden Rule # 3, the car manufacturers must from now on make it easier for those who take an end of life vehicle for disposal. In the EU there is now the ELV Directive. The main requirements of the ELV Directive are, specified by the Environment Agency of England and Wales. The effect is that producers must limit the use of certain hazardous substances in the manufacture of their new vehicles and automotive component parts, and actively improve the recyclability of their vehicles.

The reason that this is very important is because until now our vehicles have contained many substances that are damaging to the environment, and every effort should be made to reduce the use of these and make vehicles much easier to recycle by planning for their eventual recycling, when designing them.

Golden Rule # 4, is that from 2007 it has been a requirement that all vehicle producers pay all, or a significant part, of the costs of taking back of vehicles which are at the end of the life into a treatment facility. This has been required because, the politicians within the EU apparently want all vehicle manufacturers to be given the maximum financial incentive through this requirement to make their vehicles much more easily recyclable to reduce pollution and make driving our cars much more sustainable.