TWO million vehicles come to the end of their useful life each year in Britain, every one containing 22 litres of hazardous waste products.

And with less than half of those scrapped cars being recorded as being recycled properly, that means, says website recycleyourcar.co.uk, the equivalent of a small oil tanker full of toxic fluids is seeping into the environment each year.

The online initiative, set up by metal recyclers Sims Group UK Ltd to help UK car owners finding their nearest authorised treatment facility (ATF), says drivers need to ensure their vehicles go through the correct de-pollution procedures.

Many drivers are unaware that they have to go to an ATF to dispose of their old cars, and need the correct paperwork - known as a Certificate of Destruction - to prove their vehicle has been treated and recycled.

As it stands, less than half of British drivers disposing of an old car obtain the certificate.

The End of Life Vehicle Directive requires that vehicles are de-polluted, and all hazardous liquids are removed to prevent damage to the environment.

The main components left over are fuel, engine oil, coolant, and transmission oil, as well as screenwash and brake fluid.

This amount of harmful pollution happens year on year, says recycleyourcar.co.uk, and is only set to get worse as the number of vehicles on Britain's roads increases.

"These figures are deeply unsettling, and bring to light the level of environmental damage occurring in the UK annually due to the incorrect disposal of vehicles," said recycleyourcar.co.uk spokesman Simon Palmer. "The damage may be quiet and relatively unnoticeable, but this does not make it any less of a problem. A number of drivers are unaware they need to ensure their vehicles go through the correct procedures in order to prevent creating an opportunity for chemicals to seep out, causing lasting damage to the eco-system."