The first part of this article focused on the impact of EU legislation in driving investment in recycling plastics end-of-life vehicles. Increasing the supply of recyclates is a worthy exercise but it can only deliver real environmental benefits if these materials are actually reused. Fortunately, EU policy has been designed to address the demand side as well, mandating that new cars include at least 25% recycled plastics. Car manufacturers, particularly those based in Europe, are scrambling to find uses for recyclates in their latest models. This second part of the article examines some of these developments.
Since 2020 Audi has been using recycled PET bottles to replace fabrics in their A3 models. Up to 45 PET bottles with a capacity of 1.5 litres are used for fabrics in the seat. An additional 62 PET bottles are recycled for the carpet. Audi has even introduced seatbelt buckles made from recycled mixed automotive waste. For the buckles, chemical recycling produces pyrolysis oil which is then used to replace virgin fossil feedstock. Audi claims, ‘this means that recycled and non-recycled feedstocks are mixed in the production process, and an amount of recycled feedstock equivalent to 70% of the Audi product was attributed using a certified mass balance accounting methodology.’
More recently Audi announced the introduction of radiator grilles into its A3 models incorporating 27% recycled content made up of polycarbonate and PET. Winning Plastics developed the material using scrap components from its own manufacturing processes. Painted radiator grilles, that fail quality control due to minor cosmetic defects, are shredded and ground. The friction generated by small hammers removes the paint, with the remaining polymers re-granulated. The recyclate is then blended with virgin materials to create new grilles.
The interior of Volvo’s EX90 All-Electric SUV is made from a bio-based material called Nordico, created from textiles made from recycled materials such as PET bottles and biomaterials from forests in Sweden and Finland. In total, the Swedish-made car contains almost 50 kilograms of recycled plastics and bio-based materials.
Similarly, Polestar is using BIOVYN™ bio-attributed vinyl, for upholstery. The fabric is made from 100% renewable bio-attributed feedstock that does not compete with the food chain. Tall oil, a byproduct of coniferous tree pulping, is used as a replacement for fossil fuels. The resultant fabric has the same properties as traditional PVC but delivers a carbon footprint reduction of over 70%.
BMW’s iFE.20 racing car uses flax fiber to replace carbon for the cooling shaft and throughout the interior. Using flax-covered, 3D-printed shells reduces paneling by up to 70% and emissions by up to 60%. Weight savings are reflected in reduced fuel consumption. In the event of an accident, the new material does not splinter, improving safety for the driver.
Peugeot has introduced fibreglass-reinforced polypropylene made with 65% post-consumer recycled content to the center counsel of their 3008. Material manufacturer, Borealis claim, ‘this development proactively addresses the expected requirements of the forthcoming European End-of-Life Vehicles regulation’, highlighting the significance of the legislation in driving this innovation.
Researchers at Fraunhofer WKI have developed vehicle underbodies produced with natural materials such as flax, hemp, and cellulose fibers used to replace the traditional fiberglass and added to recycled polypropylene. Finished underbody components contain up to 45% natural fibre content. Compared to series production, 10.5 kilograms of virgin material (PP/glass fiber) can be replaced by 4.2 kilograms of natural fibers and 6.3 kilograms of post-consumer recyclate. As a result, CO2 emissions during production, use, and product life have been reduced by up to 40 percent.
While the smell of new cars is considered alluring by some it can contain unhealthy volatile organic compounds, most of which are emitted from plastics. When using recycled plastics for interiors this becomes an even more important consideration, as manufacturers do not want to impact the interior air quality of their vehicles. To address this issue, the Spanish Plastics Technology Centre has established a new research project (Surftop) to investigate the use of recycled plastics in automobile applications. By partnering with a scrap recycler and an injection moulder the project aims to improve the quality of recyclates obtained from end-of-life vehicles and identify suitable uses both inside and on the exterior of cars.
It is interesting to note that most press announcements from vehicle manufacturers focus on the percentage of recyclates contained within a material or product. (A cynic might ask if the recycled content could be pushed higher by more aggressive legislation!). Often environmental benefits are not mentioned at all or are relegated toward the bottom of these announcements. This underscores the significant impact of EU legislation in directing automotive industry innovation toward investment in recycling.
However, forcing manufacturers to increase the use of recyclates risks targets being met at any cost, particularly environmental. With increasingly sophisticated chemical recycling processes being introduced it is important to evaluate the GHG impacts of any new materials. Waste plastics undergo various processing and refining methods that involve chemical treatments and/or significant heat, each with its own environmental impacts. The EU legislation appears to assume that forcing manufacturers to increase the use of recycled plastics will result in lower environmental impacts. A recent report by the European Commission does acknowledge that ‘the environmental competitiveness of such [chemical recycling] processes may be questioned.’ However, the same report goes on to claim, ‘the overall climate change impact of plastic materials used in one average vehicle at a given year is progressively reduced when more recycled plastic is incorporated in the vehicle compared to the relevant BaU [business as usual] scenario.’ With manufacturers focused on achieving the mandated 25% target there is a real danger that the environmental considerations that prompted this legislation will get overlooked, and cars containing recycled plastics fail to become any greener. This criticism also applies to other policy interventions mandating the use of recycled plastics in packaging etc. Without such safeguards industry will be tempted to find the lowest cost solution to comply with legislation, without regard for environmental impacts.
What is needed now is stronger interventions from the EU and other car manufacturing nations. Policies need to drive the adoption of EVs and ensure that manufacturers embrace a circular approach, incorporating ever-increasing quantities of recyclates into their production processes and delivering measurable environmental improvements with every implementation.