As sustainability and circular economy initiatives gain momentum in Belgium, Febelauto continues to lead the charge in the automotive recycling sector. This is proved by their 2023 annual report, in which you can find good figures on the recycling of end-of-life vehicles and batteries from electrified cars. You can also find out more about their circular economy initiatives and strategies.

Did you know that in Belgium, 98% of end-of-life cars are recycled?

With this impressive recycling rate, Febelauto is one of the world leaders and we can be proud of it. 23% of a vehicle’s weight is reused, 70% is recycled and 4.2% is recovered for energy purposes. An excellent result, well above the mandatory European standard.

In 2023, Febelauto collected 67,296 tonnes of end-of-life vehicles.

This ‘heavy figure’ reflects their unceasing efforts to promote sustainable, environmentally friendly recycling of end-of-life vehicles. However, the number of vehicles collected is falling every year due to the increase in their lifespan (18.5 years on average), the hesitant transition to electric vehicles and the export of second-hand cars abroad.

The fact that 23% of a vehicle’s weight is reused is an excellent result, because used car parts are both economically and environmentally attractive. They reduce CO2 emissions and, when reused, save a considerable amount of valuable raw materials. The calculator on the Febelauto website lets you work out how much CO2 you save by reusing a car part

But their efforts extend not only to end-of-life vehicles, but also to the batteries in electrified cars (HEV batteries). In 2023, Febelauto collected 149,129 kg of discarded electric car batteries. That’s almost 10% more than last year. And this figure will only increase in the years to come. Especially if you consider that in 2023, 137% more new HEV batteries were put on the market (first assembly and replacement) than in the previous year. All these HEV batteries are collected and processed preciously, either by repurpose, remanufacturing or recycling. Many electric and hybrid car battery modules are given a second life in Belgium as stationary storage systems for renewable energy (solar and wind). Modules that are no longer usable are recycled, with all the raw materials recovered to produce new batteries

Curious about other figures on end-of-life vehicles and batteries? Have a look at Febelauto’s annual report (in French). We invite you to read it attentively and join us in supporting Febelauto’s mission to create a sustainable future for the automotive industry. If your time is precious, read our summary.