- Recovery quota
- The recovery quota is the share of vehicle weight that is reused or recovered rather than disposed of. It is calculated as an average per vehicle and year, not per individual vehicle.
The two targets
| Quota | Target | What counts |
|---|---|---|
| Reuse and recovery | at least 95 % | Reused components, material recycling and energy recovery |
| Reuse and recycling | at least 85 % | Reused components and recycling — excluding energy recovery |
The difference between the two — ten percentage points — is the room for energy recovery. Anything beyond that must be recycled as material or reused. Five per cent remains, arithmetically, for disposal.
Why the last percentage points cost the most
Roughly three quarters of a vehicle's mass is metal. It is recovered through the shredder and sorting chain anyway and is commercially attractive. A large part of the quota is therefore met more or less by itself.
The remaining quarter decides the outcome: plastics, glass, rubber, textiles, insulation, composites. After shredding this fraction ends up as automotive shredder residue, whose separation is technically demanding and commercially difficult. This is exactly where quotas are won or lost.
The four routes
- Reuse. The component is fitted again as a spare part. Environmentally and commercially the best route — and the only one in which the component keeps its function.
- Material recycling. The material becomes new material. Well established for metals, dependent on purity and contamination for plastics.
- Energy recovery. The calorific value is used. Counts towards the 95 per cent quota, not towards the 85 per cent quota.
- Disposal. Landfill or incineration without energy use. The remainder that may arithmetically be left.
What this means for operating data
Quotas are calculations, and calculations need figures from day-to-day operation. Whoever assembles quantities only at year end is estimating — and estimates rarely survive the question of where they come from. In practice:
- Record per vehicle which components were removed for reuse. That quantity cannot be reconstructed after the fact.
- Derive transfer quantities per waste stream from the acceptance documents, not from memory.
- Document hulks with weight and recipient.
- Use the VIN as the link so that every quantity stays attached to a vehicle — see Certificate of destruction: content, issuing and common mistakes.
Outlook
The ongoing European reform of end-of-life vehicle law puts stronger emphasis on reuse and on recycled content in new vehicles. For dismantlers that shifts the focus away from pure tonnage towards the question of how much of a vehicle gets a second life as a component. Assessment in EU ELV Regulation 2026/1738: timeline and impact on businesses.
Sources and legal references
Frequently asked
Do the quotas apply to every single vehicle?
No. They relate to average vehicle weight and year. An individual vehicle may sit above or below.
Does energy recovery count towards both quotas?
Only towards the 95 per cent quota. The 85 per cent quota covers reuse and material recycling only.
Does a sold used part count towards the quota?
Yes, as reuse — and towards both quotas. That makes part removal the most effective lever.
Where do the reported figures come from?
From operating records: removed components, transfer quantities per waste stream and hulk weights. They must arise from ongoing operation, not from back-calculation.
This article is general professional guidance and does not replace legal advice. The applicable statute and the conditions imposed by your competent authority prevail.