What do you need to do when scrapping a vehicle and how do you avoid the pitfalls asks Geraldine Herbert Are there laws regulating scrapping a car? Scrapping has changed in recent years and is now regulated by the Waste Management (End-of-Life Vehicles) Regulations 2014. In order to scrap a car, you need to take it to an Authorised Treatment Facility (ATF) that is licensed by the Environmental Protection Agency. Disposal of a car poses an environmental risk due to the hazardous materials contained in these vehicles such the lead acid batteries; fluids, including lubricating oil, coolant and brake fluid; as well as the catalytic converters, all of which must be disposed of safely in order to prevent pollution. What steps do I need to take to scrap my car? The first thing you need to do is contact your local authority or the vehicle importer to find out where the nearest ATF is to you. It’s important to avoid dodgy dealers when scrapping your car as there is a risk of negligence or dishonesty when dealing with your car paperwork. What do I need to bring with me? Bring your vehicle registration documents with you. The registered owner of the car cannot be charged for depositing an end-of-life vehicle at an authorised treatment facility. If you don’t have the registration documents, then you need to get an RF134 form and bring it to your local garda station to have it signed. When signed send the form with the fee to your motor tax office. It should take about 10 days to process. What else should I note? Don’t remove any parts of the car, eg the gearbox, as you may be charged for the disposal. If there’s a minimum of three whole months of road tax left on your car, you can get a refund. You’ll need to get form RF120 signed/stamped at a garda station, then present it, along with the Certificate of Destructio,n at your local motor tax office. Tell your insurer your car has been scrapped. They’ll generally let you transfer any funds you hold with them towards insuring your next vehicle or give you a refund. What is a certification of destruction? Once the car is scrapped the ATF will issue you with a certificate of destruction, which means the car has been de-registered,...