The Canadian Auto Recyclers' Environmental Code (CAREC),

formerly the National Code of Practice for Automotive Recyclers, was developed under the Retire Your Ride program by Summerhill Impact with the Automotive Recyclers of Canada (ARC) with the support of The Government of Canada.  CAREC was developed to ensure that recyclers had the most relevant information and tools to prevent hazardous materials contained in end-of-life vehicles (ELV) from contaminating our water, land, and air during the vehicle recycling process.

This guideline has been updated, in keeping with the latest regulations and policies.

CAREC is an invaluable resource for automotive recyclers, outlining best practices for the environmentally sound management of end-of-life vehicles (ELV).  We encourage all auto recyclers throughout Canada to adopt the Code into their business practice.

CAREC has 3 goals:

  • To convey the legal and mandatory requirements before, during, and after the recycling process and promote best management practices within the industry;
  • To promote pollution prevention and the 3Rs (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) in the vehicle recovery industry to reduce the ecological impact of the automotive sector; and
  • To ensure that there is a consistent set of practices that are aligned, as much as possible, with federal, provincial, and municipal laws and regulations, as well as with product and industry stewardship programs, where applicable.
Download the Canadian Auto Recyclers' Environmental Code Audit Protocol and Checklist