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Donald Ward, Operations Director from metal recycling and waste management specialist Ward was a keynote speaker at the Bureau of International Recycling (BIR) conference in Copenhagen in May.

As the UK Representative for the Shredder Committee, Donald, was invited to share insights into the UK’s Auto Shredder Residue (ASR) proposals, which will have far reaching impact on the industry in coming years.

The topic was timely, with the UK Environment Agency (EA) potentially set to implement major changes to ASR legislation for metal and vehicle recyclers as early as 2025. The legislation, expected to come into force in the next two years looks at accepted classification of residues from shredding facilities as non-hazardous and proposes waste reclassification in certain areas. This will significantly impact the UK’s vehicle waste recycling process and set a global precedent.

During the presentation, Donald highlighted the key findings from the Government’s review of metal shredder residue (MSR) in the UK, which has led to the new legislation. In 2005, the EA accepted classification of residues from shredding facilities as non-hazardous. However, recent findings identified compositional changes to shredder feedstock, sector misapplication, including WEEE residues and diversion of MSR from landfill, leading the EA to reclassify this waste as hazardous.

In the proposals, any untested MSR will be assumed hazardous, with an estimated 1.2 million tonnes affected. This has led to uncertainty regarding treatment and disposal capacity and a push towards investment in advanced sorting technology to maximise component recycling and minimise waste to landfill.

An extensive pilot study conducted by the British Metal Recycling Association (BMRA), includes the most comprehensive analysis of vehicle waste to date. Donald shared an overview of key findings and how this data has helped to inform the decision-making process, while identifying some of the wider implications for vehicle recyclers.

Donald said: “This is a critical time for the international recycling industry and an unrivalled opportunity for the UK to position itself as a global leader in end-of-life vehicle waste management.

“There is real need for investment and technological advancement to implement this important legislation to make vehicle recycling more efficient and sustainable. Ward’s investment in this technology has helped to set us apart as an industry leader, and, while there is still much work to be done around data and analysis, we look forward to supporting these changes and being at the forefront of this vital progress.”

A reply from the Environment Agency was due by the end of May 2024, but the implementation of wide-reaching the legislation remains a work in progress.

For more information on Ward’s multi-award-winning metal recycling and waste management solutions, visit: www.ward.com.