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Delphi Recycling Efforts in Europe Benefit the Environment

20 April 2000

Delphi Recycling Efforts in Europe Benefit the Environment, 400 Metric Tons of PVC Recycled Annually

    WUPPERTAL, Germany, April 20 Delphi Automotive Systems
(NYSE: DPH) has developed several automotive wiring recycling processes that
address increased concern from the European market regarding the disposal of
end-of-life vehicles.
    "With 9 million vehicles scrapped annually within the European Union, and
European legislation requiring a 95 percent reuse/recycling/recovery quota for
end-of-life vehicles in the near future, there are convincing reasons for
Delphi to develop products that can be easily recycled, as well as develop
recycling processes for its products," said Wolfgang Diegmann, manager of
environmental engineering at Delphi's Technical Center in Wuppertal.
    The harnesses of those 9 million vehicles contain approximately 90,000
metric tons of copper, 35,000 metric tons of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and
another 20,000 metric tons of different polymers, representing a potential
value of more than $200 (U.S.) million per year.
    Diegmann, along with Delphi engineers Frank Adam and Ruediger Tiedeck,
worked with the University of Wuppertal to develop processes for recycling
polymers used in automobiles.  Delphi's recycling method for the PVC
insulation avoids shredding the wiring harness, which causes contamination of
the plastic parts.  The physical/chemical process softens the PVC insulation
of automotive cable so that it falls off of the wires.  After removing the
solvent, the PVC is regranulated and used for new cable insulation.  The
copper used in the wiring harness, which is pure copper, is also reclaimed.
    At the highest quality level, recycled PVC is no more expensive than
virgin material.  Including the reclaimed copper and avoided landfill,
recycling of PVC scrap is profitable.  In addition, PVC is turned into an
economically recyclable polymer.
    Delphi currently organizes the collection of harness scrap from its
European plants to be recycled, which results in approximately 400 metric tons
of recycled PVC annually.
    "The recycling of Delphi's PVC cable is only a starting point for the
company," Diegmann said.  "In the same way that Delphi recycles its harness
scrap, wiring harnesses from end-of-life vehicles can be processed to take out
the PVC for further high-level use."
    Connector housings consist of different thermoplastics, elastomers and
metals.  As this mixed scrap has a negative value (cost for landfill or
incineration), Delphi studied separation processes to keep the inherent value
of the various materials.
    In order to avoid cutting and shredding that would contaminate the
plastic, Delphi and the University of Wuppertal developed a centrifuge-based
melting process to recycle the plastic connectors of the wiring harness.  The
centrifuge can be heated to different controlled temperatures, to separate
plastic from metals and elastomers, and to separate the various types of
plastics using their different melting points.
    "Separation of different plastic materials is a major topic in the
recycling industry," said Diegmann.  "Based on customer interest, we are
working to improve and industrialize this process."
    Delphi also developed a glycolysis process for recycling flexible printed
circuits (FPC), a type of flat wire harness that consists of copper mainly
laminated with polyester foils.
    This glycolysis process separates the copper and converts polyester to
polyol.  Polyol is a basic material for different types of plastic and can be
used for producing polyurethane foams, which can be used in seats and
dashboards as automotive applications.
    Currently underway is the research for recycling the cockpits of vehicles
in Europe.
    "Recycling is the right thing to do, both ecologically and economically,"
Diegmann said.  "Delphi will continue to be dedicated to helping to protect
human health, natural resources and the global environment."
    Delphi Automotive Systems, headquartered in Troy, Mich., USA, is a world
leader in transportation and mobile electronics components and systems
technology.  Delphi's three business sectors -- Dynamics & Propulsion; Safety,
Thermal & Electrical Architecture; and Electronics & Mobile Communication --
provide comprehensive product solutions to complex customer needs.  Delphi has
approximately 214,200 employees, and operates 178 wholly owned manufacturing
sites, 41 joint ventures, 53 customer centers and sales offices and 27
technical centers in 39 countries.  Regional headquarters are located in
Paris, Tokyo and Sao Paulo, Brazil.  Delphi can be found on the Internet at
http://www.delphiauto.com