MATERIALS
New legislation requires 30% of plastics from scrap cars to be recycled
RAMPING UP RECYCLING
Automotive plastics recycling: the opportunities and challenges
A
utomotive recycling is the dismantling of vehicles for spare parts, or reuse in diff erent applications.
According to the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, cars are the most recycled consumer product, with around 95% of retired passenger vehicles processed for recycling every year. From fl oor mats and fl uids to
aluminium and steel, approximately 86% of a car’s material content is recycled, reused or used for energy recovery. Innovative technologies and vehicles advancements, like lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles (EVs), require a coordinated and proactive approach from industry and other stakeholders to ensure end-of-life uses
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are properly managed. Vehicle manufacturers rely on auto
recyclers to remove parts that can be reused or remanufactured for use in other vehicles. These parts include components like engines, transmissions, doors, bumpers, starters, alternators and water pumps. Meanwhile, other parts, such as batteries, catalytic converters, tyres and some plastics, can be removed and recycled into new products. In recent years, car manufacturers have become more involved in the process, both from an end-of-life perspective and through designing for circularity from the start.
FOCUSING ON PLASTICS In July 2023, the European Commission tabled new legislation covering vehicle
design and end-of-life treatment, focusing on improving recycling and reuse of materials. According to the European recycling industry association (EuRIC), by volume, 50% of today’s cars are made of plastic. This includes dashboards, bumpers, handles, buttons, casings, ceiling fabric, seats and seat belts, airbags, and so on. Because plastics are lightweight and
contribute to fuel eff iciency, demand for the material in the automotive sector has continued to rise over the years, with the average car containing between 150-200kg of plastic. The European Commission’s new legislation has been brought in to ensure that more of these plastics are recycled, with particular focus on improving recycling and reuse of materials. One of the key objectives of the legislation is that 25% of plastics used in new cars come from recycled materials, a quarter of which must originate from end-of- life vehicles. Overall, 30% of plastics from scrapped cars should be recycled, up from around 19% today. According to Alejandro Navazas,
EuRIC’s Scientifi c and Policy Advisor: “Some leaders in the auto market are already achieving 20% recycled
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