The results of the final two phases of the End-of-Life Vehicle (ELV) Recycling Demonstration Project were released by the Plastics Industry Association (PLASTICS). Phases II and III of the ELV Project demonstrated that recovering valuable thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO) from ELV bumpers is feasible.
Launched in 2015, the ELV Project was designed to study the viability of collecting and recycling plastic car parts, including car bumpers, to eventually be broken down and used as materials to make new products.
“Finding innovative ways to recycle and reuse plastics has a direct impact on the amount of plastic that ends up in landfills,” said PLASTICS interim president and chief executive officer Patty Long. “By developing lasting, sustainable end markets for these materials, even those extracted from scrap cars and trucks, PLASTICS is giving scrap materials new life through recycling.”
Over the course of the three phases of research for the ELV Project, four plastic bales from four different sources were processed by three plastics recyclers across the U.S. and each bale sample met the range of quality that would make it eligible for use in a wide range of applications. From these findings, they were able to create a directory of automotive recyclers who specialize in using ELV materials.
Following phases II and III, PLASTICS will share case studies from the ELV Project. There is a vested interest from brand owners in using recycled ELV bumpers in their manufacturing and design process.
“The results from the ELV Project indicate that there is technology and a market to recycle plastic from vehicles,” said PLASTICS’ vice president of industry affairs Kendra Martin. “Organizations have been able to make new parts from car bumpers. Re|focus proved to be a wonderful platform to share ideas and brainstorm about these sustainability efforts.”
Involved in the ELV Project were the following organizations: ACI Plastics, Asahi Kasei, Automotive Recyclers Association (ARA), Boston Auto Wreckers, Canadian Plastics Industry Association (CPIA), Erema North America, Fenix Parts, Gary’s U-Pull It, Geo-Tech Polymers, Innovative Injection Technologies (i2Tech), Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI), John Deere, Kal Trading, Manar Inc., Metro Recycling, Midland Compounding & Consulting, Milliken, Noble Polymers, Padnos, Post Plastics, Ravago Recycling Group, Series One, Standard Auto Wreckers, Toyota, TPEI, and Ultra-Poly Corporation.
Published in the July 2019 Edition