Scrapping a car is not like the old days, when the vehicle was just crushed into a cube of twisted metal and stacked at one side of the scrap yard.
There are clear legal processes that must be followed, which is why it’s so important to scrap your car at an Authorised Treatment Facility (ATF) like J Davidson Scrap.
By doing this, you not only get peace of mind that you won’t face legal issues later down the line, but you also ensure your scrap car is disposed of in an environmentally friendly way.
Vehicle Depollution Process
The first thing that happens to a scrap car is that any hazardous materials and fluids are removed and safely disposed of, separately from the rest of the vehicle.
During this Vehicle Depollution Process, the car battery is removed as it contains lead acid, along with engine oils and lubricants, plus hazardous components like the flammable rubber tyres.
Certain vehicles might need extra care. For example, if your car runs on Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG) the gas tanks must also be carefully removed.
Air bags are also gently detached from the vehicle as part of this process, as they contain small explosive charges that inflate them during a crash.
Finally, parts of the car that contain certain metals will be removed, such as the catalytic converter which can contain palladium, and any switches that contain mercury.
Dismantling and Crushing
Once all the potentially dangerous parts are removed, the vehicle is dismantled, separated into its different recyclable materials, and processed for recycling.
Scrap metal is obviously a large part of most vehicles, but in the interior there may be large quantities of recyclable plastic, as well as upholstery fibres that can be reused.
While it is environmentally friendly to remove the types of hazardous components already mentioned above, it is recycling the remainder of the car that can have even bigger benefits.
Scrap metal in particular can be recycled almost endlessly, saving huge amounts of energy compared with making new metal from ore, and preserving supplies for future generations.
Your car could become almost anything, from a playground swing set or building site scaffold pole, through to a tin can or even another car.
The Paperwork
It’s important not to neglect the paperwork, which is the legal side of scrapping a car in England.
You (or your ATF) will need to notify the DVLA that the vehicle has been scrapped, so that you can stop paying road tax and insurance (and obviously won’t need an MOT).
If you have a personalised numberplate, you MUST transfer this away from the vehicle BEFORE you notify the DVLA that the vehicle has been scrapped, or the registration number will be ‘scrapped’ along with the car.
J Davidson are authorised to issue you an official DVLA Certificate of Destruction, legally ending your responsibility for the vehicle.
We also pay the agreed price for your scrap car when we collect the vehicle. In line with current laws, this payment must be made by bank transfer, cheque or an equivalent method – we cannot pay cash.
To find out more or to get a quote for a scrap car in Manchester and the North West, contact J Davidson Scrap today.
