While recycling rates may seem high, they often mask underlying challenges. For example, Eurostat reported that in 2021, the EU's reuse, recycling, and recovery rate for End-of-life Vehicle (ELV) was 88%.

This impressive figure suggests that the recycling of vehicles is on track. However, a deeper look reveals that these rates are primarily based on the weight of materials recycled, which mostly includes heavy metals, with limited attention to lighter-weight plastics.

Moreover, the EU’s definition of “reuse, recycling, and recovery” includes incineration for energy recovery, meaning that incinerated plastics are counted toward the total recycling rate.

In Europe, only 19% of ELV plastics are recycled each year, while 41% are incinerated for energy and 40% end up in landfills. With over six million vehicles reaching the end of their life each year in Europe, millions of tonnes of valuable materials are lost to the economy annually.

Figure 1: ELV plastic collected, recycled, incinerated and landfilled

Challenges in boosting recycling rates

The EU's updated ELV rules encourage improved ELV treatment quality, reuse, and efficient resource use, covering all aspects of a vehicle's lifecycle. The new EU ELV directive draft aims for 25% of plastic in new cars need to be recycled plastic, of which a minimum of 25% have to be sourced from ELVs (meaning around 6% of plastic should be “closed-loop”).

Most recycled plastic in vehicles currently comes from mechanical recycling, with approximately 80% derived from post-industrial waste, which is more homogeneous and easier to recycle. In contrast, post-consumer plastic is far less recycled due to challenges with collection, separating, sorting, and quality control.

A variety of plastics, each selected for their unique properties, contribute to vehicle aesthetics, functionality, and fuel efficiency. Different polymers are used for various vehicle components, such as dashboards, light fixtures, seat covers, and foam cushions.

Figure 2: Polymer mix in passenger cars

Recycling ELV plastics poses two main challenges:

1. Vehicles contain a complex mix of polymers and multi-material components.

2. When ELVs are dismantled and shredded, plastics that were not initially separated become mixed, complicating and increasing the cost of separation.

As a result, only a small fraction of the recycled plastic in new vehicles originates from ELVs, making the target for 6% closed-loop plastics challenging to achieve.

Figure 3: Downstream steps from car collection to polymer recycling

Emerging technologies show potential

Some polymers, like polyethylene terephthalate (PET), are more compatible with mechanical recycling, while others require chemical recycling. Polypropylene (PP), which represents the largest plastic component in vehicles, is already subject to higher recycling standards.

Focusing on light polymers and sustainable management through innovative treatments, such as sorting, dissolution/precipitation, extrusion, catalytic pyrolysis, and plastic upgrading, could significantly increase recycling rates.

These novel approaches have the potential to increase the amount of ELV plastic recycled annually from 3% to 50%, reducing the share of plastics sent to incineration or landfills.

Recycling for materials like polyurethane (PUR) and multi-material components in seats and gaskets is still in the experimental phase and warrants further exploration.

Ideally, each disassembled plastic part should be assessed for the best recycling practices to improve ELV plastic recovery rates. Studies indicate that recycling specific parts, like bumpers and fuel tanks, is more sustainable than using virgin materials.

Industry collaboration toward a solution

To increase the closed-loop and recycled plastic content in new vehicles, it will be critical to engage with vehicle manufacturers (OEMs) together with the full value automotive value chain.

By embracing producer responsibility, OEMs are motivated to partner with suppliers and recyclers to increase both the quality and quantity of recycled materials and move closer to closing the loop.

Through collaboration, industry stakeholders can share expertise, co-invest in critical technologies, and establish offtake agreements to drive large-scale changes.

The Global Impact Coalition is uniting chemical companies, dismantlers, shredders, sorters, and OEMs to streamline the ELV plastic recycling process.

By focusing on disassembly and sorting improvements, they aim to enhance the entire ELV plastics recycling value chain — a crucial step in collecting the ELV plastics needed to meet EU targets and realizing the value of the many polymers found in vehicles.

* Written by Amanda Martin, Global Impact Coalition and Ana de la Cal, Net Zero Chemistry

** Edited by Adsale Plastics Network