Recycling Devalued is now Revalued

Recycled Plastics in Automobile
Parts and Components
39
different types of basic
plastics and polymers
used to make an
automobile today;
66%
of the plastic used
in autos comes from
these three polymers:
Polypropylene
32%
Polyurethane
17%
Poly-Vinyl-
Chloride PVC
16%
Auto recyclers and automotive companies are turning their attention to plastics
and polymers: 1.) automotive companies are recycling their plastic scraps, defective
parts and other materials as part of their manufacturing processes as well as recycled
post-consumer plastics; and 2.) recyclers and scrap companies are beginning to recycle
ELV plastics.
There are currently about 39 different types of basic plastics and polymers used to
make an automobile today; however, 66 percent of the plastic used in autos comes from
these three polymers: Polypropylene (32 percent), Polyurethane (17 percent) and Poly-
Vinyl-Chloride PVC (16 percent).
The wide variety of plastics used
in automobiles presents a challenge for
recyclers according to Robert Dishman,
senior vice president of Geo-Tech, a recycling
company that specializes in coated
plastics used in automotive and consumer
applications. In order to develop a
consistent, high quality bale of recycled
material, Geo-Tech must be selective in
processing one stream of material at a
time, like automotive bumpers made of
PPO. “If we start mixing other polymers
together, our quality standards are off,”
Dishman said. “We will either end up with
a wide-spec plastic or something that
cannot be used at all.”
The technologies required at stateof-the-art
recycling facilities cost millions
of dollars and are significantly more
advanced than the well-known car crushing compactors. Separation technologies, such
as float-sink tanks, magnetic separation, eddy current separators, and laser and infra-red
systems used to distinguish and separate plastics based on color are available and being
used by manufacturers for post-industrial recycling and recyclers in handling post-consumer
materials. But, they can cost millions of dollars per facility and represent one part
of the recycling process.
While all the thermoplastic polymers are technically capable of being recycled, it can
cost more to separate, clean and collect each polymer than purchasing virgin plastic—
particularly now with the recent low oil and natural gas prices. Given the priority of cost
and weight that automotive manufacturers put on components, plastics are continuing
SPI: The Plastics Industry
Trade Association
PLASTICS MARKET WATCH: DEVALUED IS NOW REVALUED 23