Assessment of the number of End-of-Life vehicles in the Republic of Serbia

Abstract

End-of-life vehicles (ELVs) represent a significant waste stream due to the large quantities of metals, plastics, glass, rubber, and hazardous materials they contain, requiring appropriate management. An efficient system for recording and tracking these vehicles provides the basis for circular economy planning and the improvement of waste management systems. This paper analyses available statistical data on the number of registered vehicles, imports of used vehicles, sales of new vehicles, and the quantities of officially recorded treated end-of-life vehicles in the Republic of Serbia. Based on the analysis, a vehicle fleet balance method was applied to estimate the number of vehicles that potentially reach the end of their service life. The results indicate a significant discrepancy between the estimated number of vehicles potentially reaching the end of their useful life and the officially reported quantities of treated ELVs, highlighting the need to improve monitoring and reporting systems.