The European Commission proposed last year that at least 25% of a new vehicle's plastic should be recycled by 2031. If this rule comes into effect, cars that don't meet the standard won't be allowed for sale in the European Union.
Right now, only 3% of all plastic gets recycled into new plastic products in Japan, according to the Plastic Waste Management Institute in Tokyo. One of the big challenges is the time it takes to sort plastic pieces after vehicles are scrapped.
Honda's tackling this issue head-on. They plan to set up a recycled plastic supply chain by 2040. To make this happen, they're teaming up with chemical manufacturers and recycling companies. They'll also cut down the types of plastic used in new cars from about 25 to just six or seven. This will make sorting at recycling stations much easier.
Honda will enlist the help of Mitsubishi Chemical Group and Toray Industries to process the collected plastic into materials suitable for use in vehicles, as impurities could affect strength. The partners hope to develop and commercialize technologies to improve the quality of recycled plastic to the same level as existing products.
Nissan's not far behind. They're working with their partner Renault to recycle plastic from scrapped electric vehicles for use in new cars assembled in Europe. They might even invest in Renault's recycling unit, though they haven't decided how much yet.
Toyota's got its own goals. They want 30% or more recycled plastic in new vehicles made in Japan and Europe by 2030. They're already making progress. The new Land Cruiser 250 series has seats made from plastic bottles collected in-house. In Europe, their C-HR small SUV uses about twice as much recycled plastic as the previous model.
Subaru's joining in too. They're aiming for at least 25% recycled materials in plastic used in new in-house models worldwide by 2030.
But it's not all smooth sailing. Recycled plastic costs more - anywhere from 50% to three times as much as conventional plastic. This could put a squeeze on automakers' profits.
To help out, the Japanese government's stepping in. The Environment Ministry plans to launch a public-private group as early as September. This group will include the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association, the Plastic Waste Management Institute, and about 10 other organizations. They'll work together on supplying recycled plastic and might even provide some investment.
European brands like Mercedes-Benz and BMW are also moving to use more recycled plastic. According to MarketsandMarkets, an India-based research company, this trend is set to grow globally.
It's clear that recycled plastic is becoming a big deal in the auto industry. As regulations tighten and consumers demand greener products, we'll likely see more innovations in this area. The road ahead may be challenging, but these automakers are determined to drive towards a more sustainable future.
Source: Nikkei
