Materials manufacturer Covestro is collaborating with partners from across the automotive value chain on the concept of car-to-car closed-loop plastics recycling. The initiative is a response to the challenges of plastic waste management within the auto industry.
Amid growing global environmental awareness and stricter regulatory demands, the automotive industry is turning its attention to plastic recycling as an important component of its sustainable development efforts.
In a joint pilot program initiated by German federal enterprise GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit), Covestro and its collaborators aim to establish closed-loop pathways for high-value plastics sourced from end-of-life vehicles (ELVs).
“The automotive industry stands as one of the most resource-intensive sectors globally, yet the potential of high-value plastics from ELVs remain largely untapped,” said Martin Hofmann, cluster head in charge of climate, energy, environment and biodiversity at GIZ.
The objective is to create an efficient and sustainable automotive plastic recycling system.
The announcement of the pilot program took place last week at Covestro’s booth at the CHINAPLAS 2024 (April 23-26) international trade fair in Shanghai, China, with key partners including automotive companies Nio and Volkswagen, Chinese recycling firm GEM and third-party certification bodies like TÜV Rheinland.
As part of this initiative, experts will explore techniques to recycle and process waste polycarbonate components, such as end-of-life car headlights, into post-consumer recycled (PCR) polycarbonates. These recycled materials will then be reintegrated into various interior and exterior vehicle applications, offering a sustainable alternative that conserves resources and reduces carbon emissions.
With regulations becoming increasingly stringent, highlighted by the European Commission’s proposal in 2023 mandating the use of recycled plastics in new vehicles, initiatives like Covestro’s closed-loop plastics recycling seek to provide long-term solutions for the industry’s sustainability challenges.
Lily Wang, global head of the engineering plastics business entity at Covestro, said, “By leveraging our collective strengths and resources, we are confident in our ability to build a closed-loop for automotive plastics recycling, thereby reducing waste and carbon emissions at the source while improving resource use efficiency. Through this joint program, we aim to expedite the automotive industry’s transition toward a more climate-neutral and sustainable future.”
