If you have a car that’s failed its MOT or has been damaged in an accident, you may decide it's time to scrap it and cut your losses. When looking into a scrap car collection you might come across the letters ATF. These initials stand for Auto Treatment Facility and in the following sections, we’ll explore what these operations are and why reputable scrap services only use them for scrapping cars.

What are Auto Treatment Facilities?

UK ATFs are effectively the only organisations across the country that are allowed to scrap vehicles and provide a Certificate of Destruction (COD). While they can still be described as scrap car breakers and scrap yards, they’ve been licensed officially by the Environment Agency after proving that they can meet the required standards for quality, safety, sustainability as well as approved business practices.

Why are ATFs important?

The 2013 Scrap Metal Dealers Act made receiving cash payments for scrap cars illegal. It was introduced because unscrupulous scrappers and car thieves were undertaking criminal activities where cars were stolen and then scrapped by yards that issued untraceable payments.

Today ATFs not only ensure that those scrapping cars provide proof of ID and address prior to scrapping, but they also ensure that unwanted cars are recycled correctly to protect the environment. ATFs have the skills and equipment to remove the hazardous parts of cars, safely depolluting them prior to destruction.

UK legislation dictates that 95% of cars must be recycled when they are scrapped. This in-depth process sees steel separated from plastics, wood, and other materials so it can be sold off and repurposed around the world rather than simply ending up in landfills where it can harm the subsoil and watercourses below ground level.

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) will only accept CODs that have been issued by authorised ATFs.

Scrap collection you can count on

For a trusted service and complete peace of mind, scrap car owners can rely on Motorwise for expert assistance. We only ever work with fully licensed Authorised Treatment Facilities (ATFs) so you can be sure your scrap vehicle is being legally disposed of.

Contact us to book your collection or if you need a free quote, visit our website today. While you won’t be paid cash for your scrap, you’ll receive the best price directly into your account.