ACEA

Successful heavy-metal reductions in vehicles

Brussels, 02 December 2010—A study by the renowned Öko-Institut for applied ecology in Germany has found an almost 100% reduction of life cycle emissions of lead, cadmium and hexavalent chromium caused by vehicles. The study was presented during a seminar at ACEA in Brussels.

The executive summary and seminar presentations can be found below:

• Executive summary of Öko-Institut study
• Öko-Institut study results
• ACEA reflections of Öko-Institut study

The Öko-Institut study was commissioned by the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA). It focused on the costs and environmental benefits of the end of life-vehicles (ELV) Directive (2000/53/EC) ‘heavy metals ban’ and includes proposals for better regulation.

The study found that the switch to ELV-related substitute materials has been very costly for the automotive industry with sometimes proportional little environmental benefit, e. g. for bearing shells and bushes. ACEA therefore underlines that the exemptions listed in Annex II of the ELV Directive 2000/53/EC should be continued and the revision process pace be slowed down. The costs for amending the remaining heavy metal exemptions would outweigh environmental benefits. The European Commission has set the next revision date for Annex II for the exemption lead in solders in electrical glazing applications on glass to January 2012 at the latest.

About the study

The study was carried out in 2009 and finalised in August 2010 and looked at ‘whole life cycle emissions’ between the years 2000 and 2005. The metals lead, cadmium, mercury and hexavalent chromium were analysed in 6 case studies from the beginning of a vehicle’s production phase until its recycling phase.

Progress in emissions reduction was driven by the ELV Directive as well as by technological advances within the auto industry, the Öko-Institut said. Cars have long production and development cycles and the testing time of metal substitutes should not be underestimated. Substitutions, even when minimal, may also imply high costs.

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