Collecting and processing scrap vehicles

Do you manufacture or import cars? Then you are responsible or jointly responsible for how end-of-life vehicles (scrap cars) are processed into waste by you or a car dismantling company. You must submit a notification to Rijkswaterstaat in which you state how you comply with the rules for the waste process.

Extended producer responsibility

As a manufacturer or importer, you are responsible or jointly responsible for the cars you make or sell, up to and including the waste phase. This is called extended producer responsibility. You must have a system in place to manage the waste process for cars. So you produce as little waste as possible and reuse more car parts and materials.

You can arrange this system with other manufacturers and importers. For example, by joining Auto Recycling Nederland (ARN). This organisation ensures that all obligations are met. This is because it follows a generally binding declaration (algemeen verbindend verklaring, avv, in Dutch) issued by the government. All manufacturers and importers of new cars therefore pay a compulsory waste management contribution (in Dutch) to ARN.

Notifying of end-of-life vehicles

You must notify Rijkswaterstaat (in Dutch) about how you collect and process scrap vehicles (pdf).

Because a generally binding declaration (avv) has currently been issued to Auto Recycling Nederland, all car manufacturers and importers must register with ARN.

Do you still want to make the notification yourself? Use the Rijkswaterstaat notification form for this purpose. You must then also apply for an exemption from the generally binding declaration (in Dutch). Contact Rijkswaterstaat's Helpdesk Waste Management (in Dutch) to get the form.

Your notification for end-of-life vehicles must state:

• what you will do to reduce waste and what you will achieve with your measures
• how the scrap vehicles will be collected
• details of how much and what is reused
• what agreements are in place for collection and processing if the producer or importer in the Netherlands is no longer responsible
• how these agreements are recorded

Waste rules for car dismantling companies

Do you have a company that dismantles cars or two-wheeled motor vehicles? When you dismantle vehicles, you must comply with:

• the waste rules in the Environmental Activities Decree (Besluit activiteiten leefomgeving, Bal, in Dutch)
• the general rules on storage and dismantling
• the rules for protection of soil, air, and water

For example:

• You must drain liquids and dismantle specific parts within 2 weeks.
• You must store drained fluids and dismantled parts separately for recycling or other forms of recovery.
• You must store airbags and belt tensioners separately from other parts during car dismantling.
• You must not stack scrap vehicles before draining fluids and dismantling parts.
• You may only dispose of scrap vehicles at a business with a shredding facility or interim storage.
• If you process a car with a European foreign registration number, you must provide a certificate of destruction if requested by the client.

You can find all the rules in the Environmental Activities Decree (Bal, in Dutch), section 4.47. You must also comply with the other general rules for dismantling companies. You must report your activities via the online service counter Omgevingsloketat least 4 weeks before you start. Does your car dismantling company store scrap metal or car wrecks? Then you must also apply for an environment and planning permit (omgevingsvergunning).

Environment and planning permit application and permit check

Do you want to know whether you need an environment and planning permit? Or whether you need to submit a notification for your activities? In the Omgevingsloket (in Dutch), you can see which rules apply in your municipality, province, or regional water authority. You can then use the Omgevingsloket to apply online for an environment and planning permit or submit a notification.

Register with NIWO

You must also register as a waste carrier or collector with the National and International Road Transport Organisation (NIWO).