top of page
authorised treatment facilties

WHAT IS AN ATF?

WHAT ARE AUTHORISED TREATMENT FACILITIES (ATFs)?

An authorised treatment facility is a scrap yard, breaker’s yard or vehicle dismantler who has proved they follow strict end-of-life vehicle (ELV) guidelines that are monitored by the Environment Agency (EA). 

​

These guidelines are broken down into distinct areas:

​

  1. Certificate of Destruction responsibilities: The generation and issuing of COD documents through the DVLA’s online system

  2. Depollution processes: The removal of potentially hazardous materials and substances from the vehicle

  3. Storage guidelines: How to safely handle and store parts removed from the vehicle

  4. Meeting recycling and recovery targets: Operating and evidencing adherence to government issued figures


Authorised treatment facilities have proved that they meet and maintain these practices – and are therefore the only scrap car yards that can legally handle ELVs.

HOW DOES AN ATF SCRAP A CAR OR VAN?

When your scrap vehicle goes to an authorised treatment facility, it will be taken through a rigorous dismantling and depollution process. 

​

This process begins with the issuing of a certificate of destruction (COD). Every ATF has access to the DVLA’s online system; so, when it is decided that a vehicle will be depolluted and scrapped, a COD is generated - proving that the vehicle has reached the end of its life.

​

When the official paperwork has been handled, authorised scrap dealers must then depollute the car. This is an in-depth and labour-intensive process that involves the removal of:

​

  • Fuel

  • The battery

  • The catalytic converter

  • Oils – including engine, gearbox, transmission and hydraulic oils

  • Fluids – including coolant, anti-freeze, brake fluid, air-con gas, shock-absorber fluid and screen wash

  • Oil filters

  • Wheels, tyres and any lead wheel balancing weights

  • Parts containing mercury – such as switches

  • Parts containing explosive materials – such as airbags and seatbelt tensions

HOW TO BECOME A TREAMENT FACILITY

If you hope to become involved with the dismantling of vehicles, it’s essential you follow government guidelines on how to do so; if you don’t, you could find yourself subject to prosecution. 

​

Not only will you be required to follow strict ATF duties, but you must also abide by a series of further waste rules. These will include hazardous waste regulations (for instances when you have not been able to depollute a car accordingly), and more general commercial waste rules (when non-recyclable parts of the car are disposed of).

​

In England, there are further responsibilities to fulfil if you hope to treat end-of-life vehicles at your site, including:

​

  • Obtaining planning permission from your local council

  • Receiving the correct environmental permit for the specific treatments carried out on your site

  • Acquiring a scrap metal dealer’s licence from your local council

​​

For further information on how to handle, dismantle, and dispose of ELVs on your site, you should contact the Environment Agency and explain that you’d like to begin the process involved with achieving ATF registration.

bottom of page