In theory, the European Union's directive for worn-out cars to be recycled is a good idea.

In practice, however, it looks almost certainly doomed.

The simple flaw is this: The burden will fall to the last owner of a car, who will be the poorest one, the one who drove it into the ground and the one least able to afford to pay for its disposal.

It's nice to think this forward-thinking motorist, while scraping together the cash for a new set of wheels, will set aside £100 to help save the planet.

But there are uncomfortable echoes of the way in which the authorities were caught out when new regulations came in about the dumping of fridges.

After the fridge mountains could come the car mountains, which would be much bigger and even more unsightly.

The problem will be sorted in four years, when motor manufacturers take on the burden.

But it's what happens until then that is the worry.

Once again the burden is likely to fall ultimately on hard-pressed councils who too often are having to do the Government's dirty work.

The Department of Trade has said it will reimburse the local authorities but whether it will and whether the money will be enough remains to be seen.