The road to auto plastic recovery: recommendations for recycling plastics from end-of-life vehicles
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A study on current end-of-life vehicle recycling practices has been completed by the Automotive Recyclers of Canada.
The study, commissioned by Environment and Climate Change Canada, provided detailed insight into ways the Government of Canada can improve the process, a three year roadmap for a research program, and recommendations for accelerating the auto plastics circular economy.
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Late in 2021, the Automotive Recyclers of Canada (ARC) was retained by Environment & Climate Change Canada (ECCC) to study the current practices related to the recovery of auto plastics from end-of-life vehicles (ELVs) in Canada. The purpose of the study was to develop a potential road map to contribute to Canada’s 2030 target of zero plastic waste.
In 2019, a plastics report produced by Deloitte and Cheminfo Services estimated that the auto sector produces approximately 309,000 tonnes of plastic waste annually, about 9 percent of the total amount of plastic waste worldwide. This represents the second largest sectoral producer of plastic waste after plastic packaging, which accounts for 47 percent of all plastic waste.
About 1.6 million vehicles are retired annually in Canada, and each of these ELVs contain about 175 kg of various plastic resins. Recycling rates for the plastics in ELVs tend to be low since there are very few end markets for these materials. Plastics from ELVs are often contaminated with other plastics and metal components, and there are not currently technologies capable of recycling all of the different plastic and multi-resin parts found in vehicles.
Preview text: Steve Fletcher, Recycling Product News, August 4th, 2022
