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This news from London's Westminster council made the SmartPlanet team smile. The borough's 50 worst parking fine offenders are to have their cars -- which include luxury BMWs and Mercs -- crushed and recycled as part of the council's green motoring plans.
Westminster points out that modern recycling tech means over 85 per cent of a car can now be recovered. The plastics can be turned into household items such as pens, the tyres can be used for childrens' playgrounds and the glass might find its way into aggregate for new roads.
"Rather than rusting away in our car pound we are pleased that these vehicles earmarked for crushing will be recycled and put to good use and in doing so will help the environment in the process," says the City Council's Director of Parking, who is clearly grinning from ear to ear.
I admire Westminster's gusto on the way it's spun this one. Sure, crushing and recycling cars to help the council coffers is fine, but pretending you're doing it in the name of the planet is truly ballsy and opportunistic. Fortunately the council's genuinely leading the way on its other eco-motoring efforts, particularly by pioneering on-street chargers for electric cars.
21 May 2008 09:52am
Can't they just sell them on? It's pointless to crush, recycle and rebuild when they're fully functional anyway, surely?
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