Management of waste generated from end of life vehicles (ELVs) has become one of the major
environmental issues. In 2008, total number of registered vehicles in Korea was about 16,800,000
which is about 2.5 times compared to 10 years ago. With the sharp increase in number of vehicles
ELVs is also increasing, which were about 670,000 in 2009. Out of which, about 100,000 -150,000
vehicles were exported as a used car and 500,000-550,000 were sent to dismantling as scrap car.
The ferrous scraps, aluminum, waste oil, tire, battery etc. and the regulated items are separated
from ELVs for recycling. The remaining part composed of fluffs and soil-like residue is called as
Automobile Shredder Residues(ASR). In Korea, several studies on the management of ELVs and
the environmental issues related to it are presented in earlier publications.
The present technology to handle ELVs is usually generating around 20% of ASRs of a new car
in weight at shredding facilities, which is almost disposed off by landfill or combusted. In future,
it is expected that landfill will not be permitted for disposing the organic portions of waste. The
recycling rate of ELVs must be above 95% of a new vehicle due to forthcoming regulation being
effective around 2015 in some countries like EU, Japan and Korea. EU Directive(2000/53/EC)
emphasizes on minimizing the impact of ELVs on the environment and improves the quality of
environment and energy conservation. Recently, energy recovery methods such as pyrolysis,
gasification and injection into blast furnaces are also considered.