Making car recycling greener – SMMT to support £250,000 University of Exeter plastics recycling research
As part of its commitment to meeting ELV recycling and re-use obligations, SMMT is to play a key role in a new study into the re-use of plastics in car making.
The DTI Technology Programme has awarded a £250,000 grant to fund a team of researchers and engineers at the University of Exeter which will lead a consortium of industry and academia.
The study will investigate the best way to re-use plastics, which make up nine to 12 per cent of every vehicle. Many types of plastics are ideal for car manufacturing being strong, durable and light, but these specialist plastics are often difficult to recycle in the conventional way.
By 2006, EU legislation requires that 85 per cent of a vehicle is either recycled or re-used. By 2015 that will rise to 95 per cent. As recyclable metals only make up 76 per cent of the average passenger car, the challenge is to make the recycling of other components technically feasible and economically viable.
Other partners in the Exeter University study include SIMS Metals, Menzolit, Mitras Automotive, The British Plastics Federation, Brunel University, SP Technologies Ltd and European Friction Industries.
Dr Oana Ghita, of the University of Exeter School of Engineering, Computer Sciences and Mathematics said, ‘Conventional plastics, such as those used in drinks bottles or packaging can easily be melted and re-used, but this is not the case for some of the plastics used in cars. The aim is to understand how exactly they need to be ground down to enable them to be made into new substances that compete with virgin material in engineering specification and price.’
For more information, please contact Steve Franklin, SMMT environment manager on 020 7344 1639.
