Uses of Recycled Material in Auto Manufacturing

Automobile manufacturers are looking to manufacture their interiors, upholstery and moldings, and partnering by incorporating recycled materials to develop bio based products to replace man made plastics. They can also save some costs by using greener alternatives which are eco friendly in the place of plastics, moldings, fibers, etc.

According to the Association of Post consumer Plastic Recyclers report in 2008, 9 percent of all recycled milk cartons, laundry detergent bottles and other materials made out of high-density polyethylene were used in automotive parts in the U.S. And decade ago that percentage was very small.

The many automobile companies are practicing it in their factories, for example at GM, materials engineers have turned recycled carpet into door handle brackets and inserted shredded denim in linings to decrease the noise. Adding to that, 5 percent to 10 percent of plastics in GM vehicles are made of recycled content. Ford uses detergent bottles, tires and battery casings to make many plastic parts used in shields and fender liners and the company says it saved $4 million to $5 million in its recycling efforts.

Toyota also targets to make 60 percent of its interior parts with the recycled materials, Chrysler also turns scrap from carpet mills into durable plastic for use as an engine part in some vehicles. The seat fabrics in Ford’s 2010 Taurus SHO and Lincoln MKZ are made from recycled plastic soda bottles and yarn.

The main disadvantage of the use of bio materials in the vehicles is that, they can’t stand up to the kind of wear and tear sustained by the vehicles for long time.