Electric vehicles, end of life disposal

Summary

The request sought the Isle of Man government's policy on disposing of electric vehicles and batteries for both private and government ownership. The response disclosed that no specific EV disposal policy exists, government vehicles are sold via auction, and lithium-ion batteries are managed under dangerous goods legislation and a specific waste operator policy.

Key Facts

• There is currently no government policy for the disposal of electric vehicles.
• Government fleet electric vehicles are disposed of through public auction, identical to internal combustion engine vehicles.
• A waste operators' policy for lithium-ion batteries exists to ensure safety and eliminate fire risks.
• Lithium-ion batteries are classified as dangerous goods for transport under sea and land legislation.
• The government is organizing meetings with insurers and recovery agents to establish a new process for transporting damaged EVs to the UK.

Data Disclosed

• 2024-12-11
• 2024-12-18
• 4314357
• 3
• 1
• 2015-0230

Original Request

What is Governments policy relating to the disposal of electric vehicles: Private citizen's ownership? Government fleet ownership? What is the policy relating to disposal of electric vehicle batteries? Is there any Isle of Man legislation relating to my questions? If so where do I find it? If no legislation, or policy, are there examples of good practice that are being followed?

Data Tables (1)

Full Response Text

Department of Infrastructure Sea Terminal Building, Douglas, Isle of Man, IM1 2RF

Contact: FOI Response Team Telephone: (01624) 686785 Email: dpo-doi@gov.im

Our ref: 4314357 16 December 2024

Dear ###

We write further to your request, received 11 December 2024, which states:

"What is Governments policy relating to the disposal of electric vehicles: 1) Private citizen's ownership? 2) Government fleet ownership? 3) What is the policy relating to disposal of electric vehicle batteries? 4) Is there any Isle of Man legislation relating to my questions? If so where do I find it? 5) If no legislation, or policy, are there examples of good practice that are being followed?"

Our response to your request is as follows:

1) There is currently no government policy for the disposal of electric vehicles (“EVs”). The transportation of damaged EVs, including end of life (“EOL”) vehicles to the UK, has been the area of focus with Isle of Man Steam Packet Company (IOMSPCo) and Ship Registry agreeing last month to consider a new approach to those damaged EVs with batteries assessed as at low risk of thermal runaway. IOMSPCo are willing to consider a process which enables the assessment to be evidenced at the point of booking. The government is in the process of organising a meeting between the relevant parties including DOI, insurers, various garage representatives, body repairers and recovery agents to agree who is best placed, qualified and willing to undertake the assessments with a view to presenting a process with scenarios to the IOMSPCo for review prior to implementation. This change in approach could cover a large number of those damaged EVs which currently do not have a pathway off the Island, for example to be taken to the UK for repairs, for a leased EOL battery to be replaced or even some EOL vehicles which are to be taken to the UK for salvage.

2) The Department’s Electric Vehicles are “disposed” of in the same way as our Internal Combustion Engine or ICE vehicles which is through public auction to be sold.

3) DEFA Environmental Protection Unit has developed a waste operators’ policy for the disposal of lithium Ion Batteries and Electric Vehicles batteries, which can be found at the EPU on the webpage linked below.

https://www.gov.im/media/1382699/waste-lib-and-weee-containing-lib-policy_v3.pdf

This is to make the battery safe to eliminate fire risk. It is then up to a garage to find a suitable disposal route for the battery.

4) Lithium Ion Batteries (which includes EV batteries) are classified as dangerous goods for transport and will have to comply with the carriage of dangerous good legislation for sea and land. For Electric vehicles see Private Citizen’s Ownership response above.

Shipping of dangerous goods legislation link: https://legislation.gov.im/cms/images/LEGISLATION/SUBORDINATE/2015/2015 -0230/2015-0230_2.pdf

5) Please see our prior response to What is the policy relating to disposal of electric vehicle batteries above.

Please quote the reference number 4314357 in any future communications.

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An electronic version of our complaint form can be found by going to our website at https://services.gov.im/freedom-of-information/Review . If you would like a paper version of our complaint form to be sent to you by post, please contact me and I will be happy to arrange for this. Your review request should explain why you are dissatisfied with this response, and should be made as soon as practicable. We will respond as soon as the review has been concluded.

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Further information about freedom of information requests can be found at www.gov.im/foi.

I will now close your request as of this date.