Cowboy crushers flout green law

CRACKDOWN. . . MEP Chris davies

AN Oldham Euro MP last night called for a crackdown on cowboys who scrap cars for their valuable metal and have no regard for the damage caused to the environment.

Liberal Democrat Chris Davies fears the dramatic increase in metal prices, fuelled by demand from countries like China, has led to a massive increase in the number of unlicensed operators flouting environmental laws on the disposal of scrap cars.

According to figures from the Local Government Association, there has been a fall in the number of abandoned cars on Oldham streets from 676 in 2002/3 to 157 in 2006/7 — a drop of 77 per cent.

Mr Davies believes the fall is due to more cars being scrapped illegally for their metal value.

Scrap merchants would have charged £30-£50 to take away a rusty banger a few years ago.

Now they will pay owners up to £200 because the price of steel, aluminium and copper found in cars has risen steeply, Mr Davies said.

Old cars must be taken to one of 1,200 ATFs (Authorised Treatment Facilities) licensed by the Environment Agency and given a Certificate of Destruction which prove that the vehicle has been depolluted, scrapped lawfully and road tax is no longer due.

But Mr Davies claims illegal dismantling is going on.

He is concerned legitimate companies who have invested in the depolluting equipment necessary to be registered by the Environment Agency are being forced out of business by the rogue traders.

The Lib-Dem claims it is time for a Government crackdown to put the dodgy dismantlers out of business.

He said: “While it is welcome news that less scrap cars are littering our streets, this has only been made possible by the increase in criminals cashing in at the expense of the environment.

“Ministers are allowing illegal operators to run rings around them at the expense of the environment and allowing legitimate businesses to go to the wall.

“This law is good for the environment but the scheme is undermined if these people can simply carry on washing oil and brake fluids down the drain.”

Mr Davies, who is environment spokesman. blamed the DVLA.

He said a loophole means car owners can claim that they have scrapped the car themselves simply by ticking a box on their vehicle registration document.