Page 34 - Plastics News April 2025
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COMPANY NEWS
$780,000 and $900,000, while in North Dako- tion affects raw materials, of course, but plastics
ta it is between $260,000 and $280,000. The truly are ubiquitous and engage every sector.
most recent significant shift in demand has seen Advances in technology propel its use in eve-
Baby Boomers choosing to live in multi-family rything from construction and medicine to any
units (some version of senior living) and millenni- sector – name it.
als, finally, starting to favor single-family homes Source – Plastics Business
as they begin to focus on raising children.
The plastics industry is woven through every as-
pect of the economy. The situation in oil produc-
Challenges and Realities of
Automotive Plastic Recycling
cles (ELVs) per year.
Currently, plastics account for 13–21% of a ve-
hicle’s total mass. Auto manufacturers expect
these numbers to continue to increase. Due
to growing regulatory pressure, many original
equipment manufacturers (OEMs) are seeking
effective recycling solutions to integrate into
their manufacturing processes.
Implementing Recycled Materials in Vehicle
Manufacturing
o d e r n vehicles are composed
of increasing amounts of plastic, raising Manufacturers incorporating recycled plastic
Mquestions about the use of recycled materials into vehicles must consider the char-
materials and the recyclability of automotive acteristics of these materials. Different recycling
waste. methods can yield plastics with varying traits,
each with distinct material and cost require-
Within the European Union (EU), the demand for ments. Feedstock quality, input quality, carbon
plastics in the automotive industry reached over footprint, economic performance, and output
4.3 million tons in 2022. Over the last decade, quality can influence the viability of using recy-
the automotive sector has risen from 7.5 to over cled plastic.
10% of the EU’s total plastic demand. In Europe,
Authorized Treatment Facilities collect and dis- Automotive plastics demand high-quality ma-
mantle approximately six million end-of-life vehi- terials to meet technical and aesthetic stand-
34 PLASTICS NEWS April 2025
