More awareness needs to be created around vehicle scrapping process as numerous individuals still do not know that there are government-authorised facilities catering to scientific and environment-friendly scrapping and recycling of end-of-life vehicles in India, according to Maruti Suzuki Toyotsu India (MSTI) managing director Masaru Akaishi.
A 50:50 joint venture between the country’s largest passenger vehicle manufacturer, Maruti Suzuki India, and Toyota Tsusho Group, MSTI was established in October 2019. Its maiden government-approved end-of-life vehicle scrapping and recycling facility, located in Noida, was inaugurated in November 2021.
“Since the inauguration, we have received and processed almost 120 vehicles. I think once the customers start getting the incentives, the volumes will go up,” Akaishi said.
Built with an investment of more than Rs 44 crore, the 10,993-square metre MSTI Noida facility can scrap and recycle over 24,000 end-of-life vehicles annually. At present, it can scrap end-of-life passenger vehicles, two-wheelers and three-wheelers.
MSTI provides a destruction certificate after dismantling the vehicle. While the payout amount individuals get varies from vehicle to vehicle, the normal range for scrapped units is from Rs 25,000 to Rs 80,000.
“We need to have more awareness among the individuals about the vehicle scrapping process. Many people are still unaware that such facilities are now in India, where vehicle scrapping and recycling is done in a scientific and environment-friendly manner,” Akaishi said.
With no discharge of oils and gases into the air or ground, the MSTI Noida facility is claimed to recover 95% to 97% scrap from an end-of-life vehicle.
“All scrapped material is sent to government authorised recyclers/steel mills/smelters for eco-friendly recycling,” Akaishi noted.