Development of Mechanical and Chemical Recycling Processing for Automotive Plastics Parts

Toyota Central R&D Labs., Inc. has been conducting “Material Recycle Project” in order to develop fundamental technology for automotive plastics recycle. The project has developed the bumper to bumper recycle technology for the painted thermoplastic bumper. Toyota Motor Corporation has developed the recycle system based on the technology and started the post consumer bumper recycling. Furthermore, the project has been developing new technologies for polyurethane bumper recycling, rubber recycling, floor carpet recycling, and plastics discrimination. This paper describes briefly the achievements of the new technologies and proposed the key technology to the plastics recycling based on the reactive extrusion processing.