Toyota, Honda Top 50 Percent Recycling Rate for Shredder Fluff

Toyota Motor Corp. and Honda Motor Co. announced that they have been able to reach an automobile shredder residue rate of more than 50 percent in the first quarter of this year.

Their ASR recycling rates easily surpassed a guideline of 30 percent under the automobile recycling law that took effect in January to enhance such recycling. ASR remains after the recovery of metallic materials and includes glass, plastic, fiber and other substances.

Toyota's ASR recycling rate stood at 51 percent and Honda's was 53.2 percent.

The Japanese law requires automakers to collect fees from new vehicle purchasers for recycling and disposal of ASR, airbags and chlorofluorocarbons, implement their recycling and disposal, and disclose recycling achievements every fiscal year.

Both companies reported a net loss in the recycling of ASR for the quarter. Both attributed the loss to a small number of automobiles subjected to recycling in the limited period and expressed their hopes to eliminate losses over the medium or long term.