Vehicle recycling and dismantling

Vehicle dismantlers and recyclers can generate large quantities of waste when they process end-of-life vehicles.

This waste needs to be properly managed.

About the regulation

The Vehicle Dismantling and Recycling Industry Environmental Planning Regulation (VDRIEP) is an industry-driven initiative.

The regulation requires individual operators or industry associations (acting on behalf of their members) to develop environmental management plans that demonstrate how they'll comply with environmental protection standards under:

• The Environmental Management Act (EMA)
  • The act's accompanying regulations

It also has a system of monitoring and reporting to ensure operations are carefully managed.

Regulation activities

Conducted activities can include:

• Dismantling
  • Where vehicles are drained of fluids and dismantled
• Vehicle crushing
  • For transport to scrap metal recyclers
• Parts cleaning

The industry diverts significant quantities of waste from the waste stream. Industrial operations have the potential of causing significant environmental harm through the release of contaminants to the environment.  

That means an environmental management plan is crucial. To find out more, review the VDRIEP.

Facility registration

A person who operates or plans to operate a facility that dismantles more than 5 wet vehicles in a calendar year is required to register their operation with the B.C. government.

A wet vehicle is a motor vehicle that's no longer used for transportation purposes and has not been:

• Reduced to a steel hulk
• Reduced to a steel hulk with only the plastic fabric or foam components still attached

For more details about registering, review How to apply for a waste discharge authorization.