New government regulations concerning the disposal of vehicles are set to provide a boon for the recycling industry.

Under the government's rules regarding end of life vehicles (ELVs) manufacturers themselves will have to ensure the cars do not simply end up in landfill sites.

Edie.net reports that the ELV Regulations 2005 will shift the burden of responsibility on to the manufacturer, with the proviso of recovering as much re-usable scrap material as possible.

Energy minister Mike O'Brien said the regulations would "benefit the environment and ought to be good news for car owners".

The key requirements of the ELV rules include the development of collection networks by 2006 in order to help speed the process of recovery for their own models, and that value is recovered from a minimum of 85 per cent of the weight of cars involved.

After nine years - by 2015 - this will move up to 95 per cent.

The collection networks are also obliged to take ELVs back from last owners free of charge from 2007.

Around two million vehicles are scrapped each year in the UK.