CarTakeBack launched in 2005 and is the UK’s largest scrap car recycling network, with over 300 branches across the country.
We provide an easy online service for you to sell your old car, whatever the condition. We buy scrap cars at the end of their life, as well as buying old cars, faulty and damaged cars, write-offs and MOT failures, even those that still have some miles left in them but may need repairs. We don’t just buy petrol or diesel cars either we can also handle electric and hybrid vehicles!
Established in 2005 by a group of environmentally responsible shredders, the goal for CarTakeBack was to enable both vehicle manufacturers and recyclers to comply with the statutory environmental and reporting obligations, which were introduced as a result of end-of-life vehicle legislation. This initial objective then led to providing a service directly to the public for them to dispose of their old cars correctly.
Since then, CarTakeBack has surpassed all expectations by growing to become the largest scrap car recycling network in the UK, and has developed a range of compliance and commercial opportunities. These are enjoyed by an alliance of like-minded businesses in the automotive and recycling sectors around the world.
NA International was selected to create and manage the company and became a shareholder in 2010.
The current CarTakeBack shareholders are Clearway Group, NA International and S. Norton.
In the UK, CarTakeBack’s network has steadily grown into an alliance of three hundred recycling centres of varying size, each holding an Authorised Treatment Facility (ATF) permit in accordance with national environmental regulations. Each site has to adhere to strict regulations, as well as investing heavily in maintaining the correct facilities and equipment to ensure the responsible recycling of vehicles. There are even CarTakeBack scrap car recycling centres in remote areas such as The Outer Hebrides, and Shetland!
Car makers have to provide their customers with a legal, environmentally friendly way to dispose of their car at the end of its life. Since 2005, CarTakeBack has partnered with vehicle manufacturers, whose brands represent the majority of passenger cars and light vans on UK roads.
CarTakeBack has, without fail, provided a national scrap car recycling network which has satisfied the geographic convenience and capacity requirements set out in the regulations, as well as having surpassed the statutory 95% car recycling target.
As the official scrap car recycling partner to the car makers, CarTakeBack continually achieves the high standards they demand.
One of our top priorities is to ensure our network of car recycling centres comply with the law. CarTakeBack branches are all Authorised Treatment Facilities (ATFs), registered with the Environment Agencies. Every car that is recycled goes through a depollution process, involving the hazardous materials being removed and disposed of correctly with as much of the remaining car and parts being reused and recycled.
The CarTakeBack network has either met or exceeded the Government target, which is currently to recycle 95% of each scrap car, every year since the law came into effect. In fact, we met the target two years early and have to date recycled over 7.5 million vehicles!
CarTakeBack’s nationwide service became a vital part of an alliance of car makers, car dealerships, recyclers and Government as it handled cars offered up under the Government’s car scrappage scheme in 2009-2010.
The CarTakeBack network successfully processed 240,000 of the 400,000 vehicles disposed of through the scheme.
Not a single Certificate of Destruction processed through CarTakeBack’s bespoke vehicle management system went astray, ensuring that car dealerships were able to claim the £2,000 per vehicle subsidy from the Government and vehicle manufacturers without fail.
Since launching in the UK in 2005, CarTakeBack has grown to be the largest scrap car recycling network in the UK. CarTakeBack has expanded its first class scrap car recycling service across the globe. CarTakeBack currently operates in Ireland and Spain, as well as down-under in Australia and New Zealand!
Defra – the Government Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
CarTakeBack works closely with Defra to ensure that our contracted car makers and car recycling centres comply with the law. We are a long-standing participant in the Government’s end of life vehicle consultation group, which meets regularly to discuss matters affecting the industry.
CarTakeBack ensures that our car makers meet their obligation to provide an accessible take-back service across the UK, to all last owners of their brands. CarTakeBack achieves this through the provision of a national network of Authorised Treatment Facilities and take-back points across the UK, supplemented by a collection service in the more remote parts of the country such as the Scottish highlands and islands.
Each year CarTakeBack reports to Defra on behalf of our contracted car makers and car recycling centres to demonstrate that 95% of the weight of every car handled has been reused, recycled and recovered. CarTakeBack’s accomplishments form a major part of the UK’s overall recycling target achievement.
SMMT – the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders
The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) is the trade association for the UK’s motor industry, which supports and promotes the interests of the UK automotive industry at home and abroad.
SMMT members consist not only of the major car manufacturers and some of the world’s top suppliers to the automotive industry, who are responsible for putting a car on the road in the first place, but also CarTakeBack which is involved at the end of a car’s useful life, ensuring that the interests of those involved in the entire lifecycle of a vehicle are covered.
BMRA – the British Metals Recycling Association
The British Metals Recycling Association (BMRA) is the trade association that represents the £7 billion UK metal recycling sector. BMRA members trade and process steel, aluminium, copper and most other ferrous and non-ferrous metals, and recycle a wide range of related products, such as end of life vehicles, packaging, batteries, domestic appliances, building materials and electronic goods. BMRA promote the interests of its 300 + member companies and the metals recycling sector in the UK.
As the UK’s largest network of scrap car recycling centres, CarTakeBack is a proud member of BMRA and works closely with them to promote the metal sector to policymakers, customers, suppliers and others as well as providing a voice for the industry.
VRA – the Vehicle Recyclers’ Association
The Vehicle Recyclers’ Association (VRA) is the UK trade association for vehicle recyclers, dismantlers, salvage agents and associated companies. For over 70 years, the VRA has provided guidance and advice to the industry as well as promoting the use of its members to the public. Seeing the VRA logo gives confidence that a company is operating legally.
CarTakeBack is a proud member of the VRA and continues to support the association in representing the interests of the industry.
