A group of eight automakers led by Toyota Motor Corp. and Honda Motor Co. said Friday that they have picked facilities to treat metal and other shredder residue for reuse, a practice that will be mandated under a new automobile recycling law to take effect in January.
The carmakers had already selected sites to handle chlorofluorocarbons, airbags and other items, which will also require proper treatment under the new mandate.
The latest move means they are now prepared to comply with the law.
Metal, textiles, and glass scrap are left behind after vehicles are demolished, and the majority of these materials are currently used as landfill .
With the help of trading companies and other businesses, the automakers have signed outsourcing contracts with a total of 51 facilities nationwide to recycle about 45 per cent of such scrap, much more than the 30 per cent targeted for fiscal 2005 under the new law. Of these operations, 25 conduct recycling, six are responsible for incinerating, and 20 are landfills.
Besides Toyota and Honda, the group consists of Daihatsu Motor Co., Hino Motors Ltd., Audi Japan KK, BMW Japan Corp., Peugeot Japon Co. and Volkswagen Group Japan KK. The group is called the TH team.
Other firms in the auto industry are forming a group dubbed the Automobile Shredder Residue Recycling Promotion Team, or ART for short, and are working to build their own recycling network. This group includes Nissan Motor Co. and Mazda Motor Corp. Asia Pulse