Car industry faces urgent recycling challenge

Oxford, UK -- 3650 million tonnes of vehicle scrap will be generated world-wide between now and 2030, according to researchers at Oxford Brookes University in the UK

The findings show the number of vehicles on the world's roads will increase by 65 per cent to 1.48 billion by 2030 with each vehicle accounting for 1.85 tonnes of waste in its lifetime.

Currently, around 75 per cent of a motor vehicle is recycled - mainly the metal content. The other 25 per cent that includes the plastics, rubber, glass, fabrics and other materials are generally sent to landfill.

EU legislation states that by 2015, 95 per cent of a motor vehicle must be recycled at the end of its life - another reason why the report calls for new designs for disassembly and enhanced pre-and post-shredder technologies to be developed now.

Professor Allan Hutchinson, from Oxford Brookes University, said: 'Our report shows that the recycling challenge is not a concern for the distant future… it is with us now, and will become even greater with every year that passes.

The report is entitled 'Whole life vehicle waste streams - a global perspective.' It has been produced by DRIVENet - the UK Network for the design for dismantling, reuse and recycling in road vehicles. It is available for £50 (Eur 80) from Drivenet. This Oxford Brookes University-led network includes motor, engineering and research organisations

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Press release from Oxford Brookes University

websiteof Drivenet