An environmental study has shown that toxic components from up to 1.3 million cars scrapped in Britain were being dumped illegally. Airbags filled with carcinogens and hazardous waste such as mercury and lead were dumped at landfill sites in direct breach of a law requiring that dangerous pollutants are disposed of in an environmentally friendly way. An EU report into car recycling singles out Britain as one of the worst performers in Europe. Holland and Sweden were commended for having reached a target of recycling more than 85% of cars.
Since January 2005, car owners have had a duty to take their vehicle to a registered decontamination centre, where hazardous materials like mercury, lead, brake fluid and toxic compounds found in airbags are removed. But in 2006, only 33% of the estimated 2 million cars which were scrapped were issued with the official certificates of destruction. Under Directive 2000/53/EC, on the end-of life vehicles, car owners who do not obtain such a certificate should be fined. However, there is a loophole in the law whereby British car owners can escape the fine by simply ticking a box on the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) deregistration form to say their vehicle has been dismantled.
Chris Davies, a Liberal Democrat MEP commented that, "This is a great environmental law that will cut pollution from old cars and increase recycling of cars across the EU. But the Government has failed to establish proper procedures." Medical experts have also expressed concern that if left untreated, mercury and lead could build up in the environment and enter the water system. Such metals are known to cause severe health problems, including brain damage and memory loss.
