Have the article read by OpenAI (Beta). Please note that AI translations may take some time to process.Brussels (dpa) – Cars, motorcycles, trucks and other vehicles in the European Union are to be made easier to recycle in the future under a provisional agreement reached between EU countries and the European Parliament.
Around 6.5 million vehicles reach the end of their service life in the EU every year. The parts could cover some of the industry’s high demand for raw materials. The European automotive industry consumes over 7 million tons of steel per year. The sector also has large demands for aluminium and copper, and consumes around 6 million tons of plastic annually.
“We are taking important steps to boost the automotive sector’s transition to a circular economy,” said German EU lawmaker Jens Gieseke, one of the lead negotiators.
Improve the recovery of materials
The measures, which will update existing rules, are intended to improve the recovery of materials such as steel, aluminium and plastics. The new rules will also apply to more vehicle categories, including to trucks, motorcycles and special purpose vehicles. Additionally, the agreement foresees mandatory targets for the use of recycled materials in new vehicles.
Once fully in force, one-quarter of the plastic used in vehicles must be recycled, and one-fifth of that must be plastic previously recovered from vehicles. Targets for other materials such as recycled steel, aluminium, magnesium and critical raw materials are to be set by the European Commission based on a feasibility study.
In addition, an export ban for end-of-life vehicles will be introduced to ensure that the EU fulfils its obligations not to contribute to environmental pollution outside of Europe and to keep valuable materials within the bloc. (December 12)
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