Motor sector collaboration will drive growth, says recycler
Greater collaboration between motor vehicle manufacturers and end-of-life vehicle (ELV) recyclers is essential to maximising future opportunities for technology, jobs and sustainability in both sectors, claims a leading plastics recycler.
Welcoming the European ELV Directive’s 2015 target to recycle or recover 95 percent of the weight of end of life vehicles, Keith Freegard said this legislation offers tremendous scope for supporting growth and forming new partnerships in the transition towards the Circular Economy.
Pointing to the 2.47 million new vehicles registered in the UK last year, the Axion Polymers Director said “it’s a time for change” as investment in new recycling technologies can meet demand for greater sustainability in our booming vehicle manufacturing industry, creating shared benefits for all.
“We, like many similar companies, have invested significantly in state-of-the-art technology to meet the 2015 target,” explained Keith. “What’s needed now is more engagement from motor manufacturers in exploring ways of stimulating demand for recycled materials – both plastics and metals – in components for new vehicles.”
Axion’s multi-million pound Trafford Park shredder waste advanced processing plant (SWAPP), operated jointly with ferrous and non-ferrous metal recycler S Norton, already delivers the 2015 EU ELV 95 percent recycling and recovery target. It produces recycled plastics, including Axpoly r-PP51 that goes back into new automotive components, materials for the construction industry and high calorific solid recovered fuel.
“Materials from end-of-life vehicles are already being captured through close collaboration with the well-developed ATF network and partners like CarTakeBack.com Ltd. It’s time we made the most of these valuable established working relationships and exploit this urban mine of potential valuable and recoverable resources that’s getting bigger,” he continued
Closing the loop in the supply chain, Freegard added, would create a more environmentally-sound circular flow of materials with associated benefits for manufacturers such as reduced costs, improved margins and greater recognition of compliance with producer obligations.
“It’s a time for change and we’d like to see more involvement from the motor vehicle manufacturers because this represents a fantastic opportunity for the supply of closed-loop materials to go back into the manufacture of new cars. We have the technology; we can deliver the necessary recycling target; now’s the time to drive it,” he concluded.