Louth County Council will this week become the first local authority to prosecute motorists for abandoning cars.
In 2001 they towed away 500 "bangers" that had been left unwanted, as well as untaxed and uninsured, on the side of the road.
The advent of the NCT left the council with a "ferocious amount of cars" simply parked and then abandoned on the side of major and minor roads.
"Under the Waste Management Act it is an offence to abandon an 'end of life' vehicle and they are termed as hazardous waste because they contain a battery and oil," said senior environmental officer Mr Joe McGuinness. Louth is a Border county and Northern motorists have also taken to leaving their unwanted cars in the Republic.
It is left to the local taxpayer to pick up the bill for removing and properly disposing of them.
"It costs €146 to remove and de-pollute each vehicle; the oil has to be drained off and the batteries removed before they are crushed.
"In the last year the council has spent €73,000 on this," he added. Legal proceedings have been taken by the council against a number of local people and they are due to appear before Drogheda District Court later this week.