Home › Archive › In the Media › Odpadové Fórum | Car Wreck Recycling at a Crossroads: An Opportunity for Industry or Another Excuse for Inaction?Odpadové Fórum | Car Wreck Recycling at a Crossroads: An Opportunity for Industry or Another Excuse for Inaction?
The European automotive industry is facing a major turning point. The new EU regulation on end-of-life vehicles (ELVR) has the potential to set clear rules for circular vehicle design, high-quality car wreck processing, and mandatory targets for the share of recycled materials. The current system, in which most materials end up devalued, is to be replaced by a truly closed recycling loop. ELVR could be a game changer — leveling the playing field, connecting manufacturers with processors, and making recycling a full-fledged part of a modern industrial strategy.
An article by EUROPEUM Institute analyst Filip Krenek, dedicated to the issue of end-of-life vehicle management, was published in the May edition of the professional magazine Odpadové fórum. The text was created in cooperation with the Institute for Circular Economy (INCIEN).
1. May 2025
The introduction of the new ELVR is not just a technical regulation, but could become an important part of the industrial strategy for the automotive industry in the 21st century. If adopted in an ambitious form, the proposal could significantly strengthen the EU's self-sufficiency in strategic raw materials, support the decarbonisation of metallurgical production and bring new economic opportunities for the EU manufacturing sector. For the Czech Republic, an important manufacturing base for the automotive industry, this offers an opportunity - whether through innovation in dismantling, the development of quality recyclates or more active cooperation between manufacturers and recyclers.
Find more about the magazine here.
