A survey of scrapyards in Sweden has found that upwards of 80% of each scrapped motorcycle in the country is recycled.
Swedish scrapyards reportedly recycle 80-100% of each motorcycle that is scrapped, according to a survey conducted by the Swedish Motorcyclists’ Association (SMC).
The survey, reported by FEMA (Federation of European Motorcyclists’ Associations), saw SMC contact nine companies that deal with scrapping motorcycles. Of the nine, only five responded, and combined they handle between 500 and 700 motorcycles per year.
From the five respondents, it was found that 80-100% of the motorcycles scrapped are recycled. Whole components are disassembled and resold to motorcycle customers, while the rest are recycled within current recycling guidelines for plastics, liquids and metal.
The finding comes as the European Commission is considering including motorcycles in a revision of its End-of-life Vehicles Directive. A revision of the Directive to include motorcycles - which, for clarity, are not included currently - would mean that new guidelines would be in-place for motorcycles being scrapped in Europe, which the SMC and FEMA says would reduce motorcycle recycling overall because of increased bureaucracy.
FEMA also has concerns over the implications of such a directive on the motorcycle community as a whole, as well as specifically for classic and historical motorcycles. Older bikes of course require original spare parts to be affordably available in order to keep them running.
FEMA wants the European Commission to consider ensuring “that the possibility of controlled in-house demolition remains possible,” should motorcycles be included in the Directive’s revision, “either by including it in the Directive, or by allowing Member States to make their own rules and regulations for in-house demolition.”
The European Federation also asks that historical motorcycles, and those which are of value to collectors or are intended for museums, be exempt from the directive.
