Renault Group steps up its activity in the circular economy and looks ahead to regulatory changes

Boulogne Billancourt, 14 December 2023 – Renault Group was a forerunner in addressing the issues associated with the circular economy for cars. Today, it is taking the process one step further by applying to set up an Individual System, in order to comply with its Extended Producer Responsibility for end-of-life vehicles from the Renault, Dacia and Alpine brands. The Group has taken this initiative in France as part of the Anti-Waste and Circular Economy (AGEC) Act, which reinforces requirements for collecting and recycling ELVs around the country.

Renault Group has been an active contributor to the development of the ELV industry for over ten years, and is now considered as an expert in this area, from eco-design and the use of recycled materials to the end of vehicle life. The Group set up a system some years ago for the responsible management of the ELVs collected by its dealer network and processed by partner car recycling centres. By opting for an Individual System, the company is committed to going even further, not only in improving the processing of ELVs, but also – and above all – in accelerating the recycling of materials and the reuse of parts from end-of-life vehicles.

To this end, Renault Group will be working with INDRA Automobile Recycling, France's leading ELV management network, which will be responsible for collecting Renault, Dacia and Alpine ELVs from private individuals through its goodbye-car.com service and business users, and also for processing them in such a way as to maximise reuse, recycling and recovery. This cooperation is a mark of Renault Group’s renewed trust in INDRA, as a long-standing partner and key player in the ELV sector. The company is recognised for its expertise and experience, both of which will be essential in developing an effective and sustainable response to the aims and ambitions of the new regulations. INDRA has almost 40 years of specialist expertise in vehicle recycling. It is France’s leading player in this field, with nearly 340 ELV centres. By 2022, INDRA had processed over 360,000 vehicles in its network, for all brands.

Renault Group can also rely on the expertise of its subsidiary The Future Is NEUTRAL, a specialist in the circular economy for cars, present across the entire value chain. Working for the automotive industry, The Future Is NEUTRAL develops solutions for recycling materials and reusing parts, in order to limit environmental impact and move towards resource neutrality. The Future Is NEUTRAL delivers a complete solution, from the collection and processing of end-of-life vehicles (through INDRA) and their batteries to closed-loop car-to-car recycling (through its subsidiary GAIA), with the aim of employing more used parts and recycled materials in vehicles.

“It is a huge honour for INDRA to see its solution chosen by Renault Group. This partnership highlights the relevance of our solutions for collecting and processing ELVs, as well as our leadership in this field and our ability to design and deliver tailor-made solutions for any player in the automotive sector looking to comply with the regulations or to even go further.”

Florence Bailleul, CEO, INDRA

“The decision by Renault Group to set up an Individual System is a natural fit with its sustainable development strategy. It meets regulatory challenges and – above all – satisfies its ambition to make the circular economy part of every stage in the life cycle of its vehicles. The Future Is NEUTRAL makes available the expertise and know-how of its operating subsidiaries to Renault Group and the automotive industry. It provides specialist expertise in the collection and responsible processing of end-of-life vehicles, the recovery of parts and materials, and closed-loop recycling.”

Jean-Philippe Bahuaud, CEO, The Future Is NEUTRAL

A SIMPLE AND EFFECTIVE SYSTEM

The system will be simple and free of charge for individuals, in compliance with legal requirements. Private individuals will be able to either drop off their ELV in the network of approved partner centres, or request collection via the website goodbye-car.com. Partner ELV centres manage the decontamination, dismantling and sorting of parts with a view to their reuse or recycling by qualified operators in compliance with applicable regulations. At the same time, the centres trace all incoming vehicles, mark the parts recovered after dismantling and oversee the traceability of carcasses sent to a high-performance crusher. As part of a complementary approach, ELV centres and car crushers will ensure compliance with European targets for reuse and recovery. This system makes a significant and lasting contribution to environmental objectives in France.