The European ELV directive will demand from the automotive industry an 85 % reuse and recycling quota be met by 2015. New vehicle registration requirements will force the industry to show already beginning 2005 for new vehicles how this can be done in principle. Methods for calculating the overall vehicle reuse and recycling quota will be defined and agreed within the automotive industry today.
This very high reuse and recycling quota of 85 % for the complete vehicle forces the OEM and the supply industry to reach a target level for recycling of plastics, which is higher than legislation has set targets in other market sectors. All large plastic parts are assessed how and to what extent they can contribute to the target.
The Instrument Panel (IP) as manufactured today is probably the most challenging part in an ELV to recycle. But new design solutions, material concepts and recycling strategies are working towards this 85 % target. Design of a future IP takes into account all essential criteria in the manufacturing like parts consolidation etc. and the “de-manufacturing” process (dismantling, logistics, recycling, etc.).
The all PP IP design concept has been deliberately chosen due to the large cost reduction potential in the manufacturing step. The requirement to meet the 85 % reuse and recycling target should be met at the lowest compliance cost, which does include the de-manufacturing cost.
In this paper the “de-manufacturing” chain will be presented under different scenarios like integrated with other materials or not integrated plastic dismantling concepts. The economic analysis was carried out for a combined recycling and recovery IP approach using today's facilities of different industries like ELV dismantling and polymer recycling to optimize overall ELV directive compliance cost through the use of existing infra structure. Product applications for the recycled materials are also addressed.