ELV TRAINING

When a fire occurs at a recycling facility, the immediate focus is rightly on protecting lives, containing the incident and supporting the Fire and Rescue Service. Once the flames are extinguished and operations resume, it is easy to view the event as an isolated incident. However, perhaps we should be asking a different question. The scrapyard fire at the Global Ardour Recycling site in Preston this weekend is reported to be the second significant fire at the site this year.

The UK recycling industry is operating in one of the most challenging markets it has faced in years. Commodity prices remain volatile, operating costs continue to rise, export markets are becoming increasingly uncertain, and environmental compliance has never been more demanding. Faced with these pressures, operators are making rational commercial decisions. Material is often held on site for longer while waiting for markets to improve, while every square metre of available s

The UK has set ambitious targets for reducing waste and increasing recycling. Nowhere is this more evident than within the vehicle recycling industry, where Authorised Treatment Facilities (ATFs) play a vital role in recovering valuable materials and preventing waste from ending up in landfill. As an industry, we should be proud of the progress that has been made. Modern ATFs recover far more than just scrap metal. Plastics, aluminium, electronics, catalytic converters, batte