Extended producer responsibility

We do not stop protecting and caring for the environment the moment a car leaves the production site. The same attention we pay to the quality, fuel efficiency, safety and user comfort of a car is also dedicated to its environmental impact throughout its life cycle, encompassing development, production, use and final recycling when the product reaches the end of its life, i.e. from the cradle to the grave.

And it is precisely at the end of a car’s life-cycle that we need to ensure that the worn-out car and its parts are not left lying around the countryside, where dangerous substances can leak and threaten the environment. An end-of-life vehicle and the materials recovered from it can be used to make new products, creating a “Closed-Loop Economy” or “Circular Economy”. This not only results in financial savings, but also reduces dependency on raw material resources and, most importantly, lessens the environmental impact of industry.

Essentially, it is the material recovery of waste that still holds value and would otherwise be a shame to dispose of in landfill. Most production still relies on so-called primary resources, such as oil, wood or iron ore. However, when properly processed, waste can partly or even fully replace these primary materials. This leads to many positive environmental effects, both direct and indirect. For example, recycling and reusing aluminium scrap saves almost 95% of the energy needed compared to producing aluminium from its primary source – bauxite. For this reason, the level of material recovery is a key criterion when selecting companies responsible for collecting and processing waste not only from our production, but also from our authorised service partners.

A good example is the handling of tyres collected through Škoda’s authorised service network in the Czech Republic as part of the take-back system. Until recently, used tyres were mainly burned as fuel in cement works or used as a material in the remediation of old environmental burdens. We have now succeeded in finding a partner who not only recycles tyres, but also uses the recycled material in the manufacture of new products thanks to their own production facilities.

At Škoda Auto, we design vehicles with a strong focus on sustainability and recyclability. When developing new models, we carefully consider the use of materials that can be easily recycled or reused. Our teams work to optimise vehicle design so that individual components can be dismantled as simply and efficiently as possible.

At the same time, we aim to incorporate various recycled materials into our new vehicles. The proportion of such materials will continue to increase in future models. As part of the GreenProduct initiative, recycled plastics are also used to create distinctive Simply Clever features – such as the umbrella or ice scraper.

If your vehicle or one of its components has reached the end of its useful life, it can be disposed of in a safe and environmentally responsible way. Contact an authorised Škoda Auto sales or service partner to inform about free take-back and professional ecological processing. Our partners will either arrange the take-back or advise you an appropriate contracted partner. You will receive an official certificate of environmentally sound disposal, which is required for deregistration. We also help with tyres, electronic equipment, starter and portable batteries. Škoda Auto works preferably with partners who ensure the highest possible level of material recovery and minimise landfill waste.

Has your vehicle or one of its components reached the end of its life and now needs to be disposed? Look for the collection points of our contracted partners listed below.

• End-of-life vehicles
• Electrical equipment
• Small batteries and accumulators
• Car batteries
• Tyres