When it comes to increasing fuel economy and reducing emissions, carmakers have managed a rapid pace. Now, their efforts to reduce waste are picking up speed:

Over the years, the automotive sector has responded to increasingly demanding government regulations and made significant strides in improving fuel economy and emissions. Now, they’re stepping up efforts to design vehicles for recycling, says a recent IndustryWeek article. “When specifying materials, product development staffs must now equally embrace design for disassembly and recycling as well as design for manufacturing,” writes article author, John Teresko.

While the industry is already recycling the metallic part of vehicles (which accounts for 75% of total content) through profitable operations, global policy makers are eyeing more ambitious targets. In particular, the European Union and Japan are issuing directives for bolstering recyclability to above 75%. For instance, the European Union is calling for 85% recyclability by the end of the year and 95% recyclability by 2015.

Typically, at the end of its life, 25% of a vehicle is left after its parts are recaptured for reuse or remanufacture. This is then separated into ferrous and non-ferrous metals by a shredder in the dismantling facility. What remains is non-metallic shredder residue, a growing component of which is plastic, says Jim Kolb, director of the American Plastic Council’s (APC) Automotive Learning Center in Michigan. In fact, Kolb estimates that there are about 25 lbs. of plastics in every 100 lbs. of shredder residue. And APC expects plastic use to rise, from 4.19 billion lbs. in automobiles and light trucks in 2001 to about 5.63 billion lbs. in 2011, as vehicle designers increasingly specify plastics to lower weight and thereby reduce fuel consumption and emissions.

While the use of plastics brings many benefits (including weight reduction, increased torsional stiffness and cost advantages), it also complicates recycling. First of all, not all plastics are recyclable, and second, automakers have yet to develop a robust recycling infrastructure, as they have for metals. As IndustryWeek puts it, “the loop to bring all plastics back into autos again and again is not complete.” Automakers, notably Detroit’s Big Three, are working on it, examining weighty issues such as feasibility, business infrastructure development, and the environmental implications of recycling. Additionally, Japanese OEM Toyota Motor Corp. and a supplier, Denso Corp., are looking into new composite recycling technology from Delaware-based Du Pont and Co. for the automaker’s radiator end tanks. So far the results have been promising. The closed-loop process was able to recover resin from old parts made of glass- or mineral-filled Nylon 6 or 66. In fact, Du Pont reports that the reprocessed polymer matches the performance of virgin material in terms of mechanical properties, resistance to harsh liquid coolants, and molding characteristics.

“This technology is very important in helping us achieve our recycled vision,” Toyota’s Yasushi Miyamoto, general manager, organic material department, material engineering division, tells IndustryWeek. “Our vision includes improving the vehicle recovery rate to 95% and developing new technologies that increase to 20% the use of plastic from recycled materials or renewable resources by 2015.”

In addition to recycling plastics, automakers are also exploring another avenue–increasing the use of biomaterials, which can be recycled or composted at the end of a vehicle’s life. According to Paul C. Killgoar Jr., director, environment, physical science and safety of Ford’s Research and Advanced Engineering in Michigan, Ford and the rest of the industry are seeking ways to utilize natural-based materials instead of fossil carbon-based ones. In fact, says Killgoar, Ford Motor Co. is already using biomaterials in its manufacturing processes to lower tooling and operating costs. “One example is Canola–an oil derived from rape seed–that is formulated as a soluble oil for metalworking applications,” he tells IndustryWeek. “Both environmentally and user friendly, Canola is low foaming and low misting and can be easily formulated for applications.” Canola is also being considered for use in hydraulic oils and lubes, he says.

However, the use of biomaterials still poses economic and technical challenges, including the tendency of some materials to break down when exposed to water. In addition, soy-based foams have an unmistakable aroma. “When you get in your car, it smells like peanut butter. We can’t have that!” remarks Killgoar. Indeed, the automotive sector still has many roadblocks to overcome before it can reach its green dream, but the industry is already well on its way.

Source:

Green Machines
John Teresko
IndustryWeek, February 1, 2005
www.industryweek.com/currentArticles/asp/articles.asp?ArticleId=1739