End-of-life vehicles (ELV) Directive
Are you getting rid of your old car?
You have an old car. It is clapped out and you want to get rid of it. So what do you do?
Firstly, you need to know about the regulations, which came into effect for all end-of-life cars from 1 January 2007. The Regulations introduce an EU Directive aimed at ensuring that old cars are depolluted and dismantled in a manner that doesn’t pose a threat to our environment or to human health.
The regulations place obligations on the producers (that is to say vehicle manufacturers/importers), dismantlers/vehicle scrap facilities and you the car owner.
In future, facilities dealing with end-of-life vehicles must meet stringent new environmental standards for the collection, storage and treatment of end-of-life vehicles. These facilities are known as authorised treatment facilities (ATF’s).
You should bring your old car to an authorised treatment facility (ATF) or alternatively contact the ATF directly and they will come and collect it for you. The ATF will issue you with a Certificate of Destruction which will confirm that the vehicle is being depolluted and dismantled in an environmentally sound manner.
The facility will then notify the Vehicle Registration Unit of the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government in Shannon, Co. Clare and the destruction of your vehicle will be noted in the records of the National Vehicle File. The only document you need to give the facility is the Vehicle Registration Certificate (RF101) or the log book for the car.
All intact end-of-life vehicles must be accepted from the owner of the vehicle free of charge. You should only deal with a properly permitted authorised treatment facility when disposing of your old vehicle as these are the only ones that can issue Certificates of Destruction.
The authorised treatment facilities in Carlow, as of August 2023, are:
| Name of Facility | Address | Waste Facility Permit No. |
|---|---|---|
| Bill Flynn | Tullow Road, Bennekerry, Co. Carlow | WFP-CW-17-004-01 |
| James O’Connor | Boggan, Ballon, Co. Carlow | WFP-CW-23-001-03 |
Note: It is an offence to hand over an End of Life vehicle to an unauthorised person. A person guilty of this offence may be liable to a fine of up to €3000 or six months in prison.
For Attention of Motor Dealers:
Do you import new or used cars or light commercial N1 vehicles on a professional basis into the Republic of Ireland?
If so, you have obligations under the ELV Regulations.
As an importer of M1 or N1 vehicles you need to either:
• Join the ELVES Compliance Scheme.
or
• Register with each local authority and set up a network of at least 47 Authorised Treatment Facilities (ATFs) to offer free take back for your vehicles.