Roger Morton, EMR's Managing Director for Technology and Innovation, has welcomed the recent appointment of Tim Moss CBE as Chief Executive of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), calling for a policy change to prevent the loss of around a million tonnes of steel each year.
Roger Morton said: “EMR welcomes the appointment of Tim Moss CBE as Chief Executive of the DVLA, and we look forward to working with him, once he begins the role on 31st March. “We hope that eliminating the significant loophole in the DVLA system that leads to a loss of up to 1 million tonnes of end-of-life vehicles containing steel, aluminium and other valuable raw materials, is high on his priority list.
“Vehicles moved into ‘Trade’ status can currently either be recycled without traceability in the UK or exported for ‘reuse’ in developing countries. This lost material is vital in supporting the UK’s industrial infrastructure, particularly the recently approved Electric Arc Furnace at Port Talbot, Wales, and we need to make sure it’s safely, compliantly and responsibly recycled by approved facilities - with full traceability.
“ Closing this loophole will require both policy changes by the Department for Transport and software investment at the DVLA. However, it will bring significant benefits for taxation and help retain valuable resources within the UK.
“EMR stands ready to collaborate with Tim and the DVLA to strengthen to UK’s resource security and transform more materials from end-of-life vehicles into the valuable resources of tomorrow.”