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DaimlerChrysler Working with Recyclers To Increase Recovery, Reuse

20 September 2000

DaimlerChrysler Corporation Working with Recyclers To Increase Recovery, Reuse of Plastics from Automobiles

    AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Sept. 19 DaimlerChrysler Corporation
is testing plastics recycling technology that could help make the company's
vehicles 95 percent recoverable within the next few years, significantly
reducing the impact of end-of-life vehicles on the environment.
    If validated in a five-month pilot project launched this month, the new
recycling technology could reduce by one-third the amount of automobile waste
going into landfills, provide a source for high quality recycled plastics that
can be used to produce new automotive parts, and result in significant cost
savings in the production of new vehicles.
    The project represents the second phase of DaimlerChrysler's CARE
(Concepts for Advanced Recycling and Environmental) Car Program which has the
dual goals of increasing the recyclability and recovery of automobiles and the
use of recycled materials in new vehicles.
    "This project is not only good for the environment, it is good business
for DaimlerChrysler," said Bernard I. Robertson, Senior Vice President -
Engineering Technologies and General Manager - Truck Operations.  "By
recycling the plastics from old cars and trucks, which today are simply dumped
in landfills, we believe we can reduce the cost of producing new vehicles by
millions of dollars a year."
    If successful, the test could also open the door to a profitable new
market for automobile recyclers in recycled plastics, polyurethane foams and
copper.  The three firms working with DaimlerChrysler are: Recovery Plastics
International of Salt Lake City, Utah, which developed the automated, skin
flotation process being used to separate plastics from other automotive
shredder residue; and automobile recycling companies, New York-based Hugo Neu
Corporation and David J. Joseph Company which has operations in the United
States and Europe.  The project is due to be completed in early 2001.
    About 95 percent of all automobiles are recycled; however, recycling is
generally limited to the 75 percent by weight of the vehicle that is metallic.
The remaining 25 percent, including a significant amount of plastics, has been
very difficult to recycle cost-effectively.  As a result, most of that
remaining material, known as automotive shredder residue, is disposed of in
landfills.  The recycling equation is further complicated by the fact that
many automakers are using increased amounts of plastics as a way to reduce
weight and improve fuel economy.
    With increased plastics recycling made possible by the process under
development at DaimlerChrysler, up to 95 percent of vehicles by weight could
be recycled and recovered.  And DaimlerChrysler would have a cost-effective
source for recycled plastics that can be used to increase the number of
components made from recycled plastics in new vehicles.
    In April 1999, DaimlerChrysler unveiled two Dodge Stratus sedans developed
jointly with 26 supplier companies that demonstrated the potential for
increasing recycled materials in new vehicles.  More than 500 parts were
modified to increase the content of recycled material, including tires, seats,
instrument panels, trim, floor mats, sun visors, fuel tanks, air bag systems,
seat belts, door handles, carpeting, fascias, tail lamps, body trim, mirrors
and underhood plastic applications.
    As a result of the project, vehicle weight was reduced by seven pounds and
seven types of plastics were eliminated, thus reducing the complexity of
separating plastic components for recycling.  Up to 40 percent of the plastic
materials used in the vehicles were from recycled materials.  At the same
time, the vehicles met all requirements for comfort, performance, quality,
emissions and safety.
    The two Stratus CARE Cars have undergone extensive road testing to confirm
the durability of the redesigned parts.  One of the vehicles was tested for
200,000 miles, the other for 100,000 miles.  "The vehicles passed with flying
colors.  There were no failures in any of the redesigned CARE Car components,"
said Gerald Winslow, CARE Car Program Manager.
    Planning is underway to incorporate ideas from the CARE Cars into future
production vehicles.  "To do that, we will need a reliable source of recycled
materials that meet our requirements for quality and purity.  This phase two
pilot project can help us get there," said Susan Yester, Senior Manager -
Vehicle Recycling Programs.