FLEETS face massively increased repair bills if the European parliament accepts proposals to significantly increase the proportion of car components which must be recycled. The proposals call for 85% of a car to be recycled by 2005 and 95% by 2015 - a huge increases on the current 75% imposed by a European Commission directive. They demand that: 'Vehicle manufacturers and material and equipment manufacturers must endeavour to reduce the use of hazardous substances when designing vehicles and increase the use of recycled materials in vehicle manufacture.'

The proposals are also likely to cover bodyshop activities, requiring repairers to devote as much time and attention to dismantling and recycling parts as manufacturers have to do at the end of a vehicle's life. David Wallace, managing director of Acoat Bodyshop Services, said: 'The increases which the EC is proposing are quite dramatic. They will mean that many components which are simply discarded now will have to be returned to the manufacturer or other recycling agent. This will involve a cost which will probably be added to the price of components.'