The disposal of waste from a dealership is a costly issue for motor retailers, and is set to increase as the Government escalates tax on landfill disposal from £56 per tonne to £84 per tonne in the next three years.

However, dealers can mitigate this expense by ensuring as much waste as possible is reclaimed or recycled.

Richard Brown, of Specialist Waste Recycling, warned delegates at the AM Aftersales Conference: “By 2014, for example, a typical full
builder’s skip will cost about £300 in tax alone to move. But you can recycle at no additional cost and avoid these taxes.”

Some waste even has sufficient recycling value, such as oil, car batteries or cast iron brake discs, to earn the dealer a rebate against the cost of taking it away.

Dealers have a duty of care for the waste they produce, whether it’s typical dry rubbish or hazardous materials.

The second they take a part out of its box, they are responsible for what happens to that box. They must ensure whoever takes that box
away has a waste carriers’ licence and provides a process list and documentation, so that if required they can show the waste has been
handled lawfully.

If a dealership isn’t having its waste handled properly, the Environment Agency could close the business until the issue is rectified. Dealers need to ensure their contractors regularly remove waste, and don’t wait until there are 100 tyres to collect.

Brown believes carmakers will require their networks to recycle more in the coming years, as 95% of all new car components from 2014 must be recyclable.