Path to ecological improvement: Vehicle recycling in Azerbaijan

By Azernews

By Ayya Lmahamad

The recycling of vehicles around the world is done in order to keep the ecology clean. The number of cars in the world, including Azerbaijan, is increasing every year. Nowadays, there are more traffic jams, more problems with parking than ever, and the environmental situation has worsened.

Over time, the number of out-of-date, old cars that do not meet environmental standards may reach a critical point, after which it risks becoming a serious problem.

As of January 1, 2022, the number of passenger cars in Azerbaijan amounted to 1.3 million, and this figure is growing steadily.

According to the statistics, more than two-thirds of the car fleet are vehicles that have reached the end of their useful life or are coming to the end. A lot of work has been already done to replace the country’s old bus fleet, however, old cars used by citizens still continue to be a problem. Today, more than 80 percent of the country’s vehicle fleet consists of cars that are more than 10 years old. The reason for this is the high costs for new cars due to high customs duties, VAT, as well as high-interest rates for loans. That’s why people continue to use and buy old cars.

Here it is worth noting that a car is considered old not only by its year of manufacture. Some cars are already in unusable condition after three years of use, and sometimes a car that has been used for 20 years is still in good condition. Therefore, recycling applies to vehicles that are technically out-of-date and pose a danger to the environment and human health.

Earlier it was reported that it was decided to develop a draft of the state program for vehicle recycling, which offers citizens several ways to renew their cars. This project was already prepared and submitted to the government.

The country’s residents will be able to participate in the program on a voluntary basis. It will be possible to recycle not only an out-of-date car but also one that has been severely damaged in an accident. The service life and mileage will not matter. In exchange for recycling their used or old cars, citizens will be able to get money or certain benefits. The citizens will be able to choose and get either money for the car, but the price will be lower than the market price, or a voucher that allows paying part of the cost of a new car.

The implementation of the recycling program has three main goals. The first goal is to remove out-of-date cars, the second is to achieve minimal losses for car owners and the country's economy, and the third is to provide mobility opportunities for the population.

Such a project can bring a lot of benefits, the main one of which is environmental benefits, which can be achieved by the gradual replacement of the country’s vehicle fleet with eco-friendly cars. In addition, this initiative can bring considerable economic benefits to the non-oil sector of the economy, especially to the metallurgical industry.

The project is forecasted to be implemented by 2023.