For the past ten years, the automotive industry has focussed on the recyclability of its products. Progress continues to be slow, despite ongoing prodding by environmentalists, fear of stricter regulations, and the slowly growing encouragement of consumers. The explosion of recycling technologies and directives has also helped to make recyclability a higher priority in automakers' engineering specs and purchasing strategies. The cause lies in the lack f ready markets for many recycled materials, especially plastics. Ford and DaimlerChrysler are leading the environmental charge.
Cost remains the chief stumbling block to achieving the completely recycled vehicle.
That ferrous metal represents two-thirds of the weight of every car and truck. Recycling technology is improving for many materials. But glass remains almost completely unrecyclable, because separating the layers of polycarbonates sandwiched into safety glass is very difficult. Plastics remain the chief stumbling block, although progress is being made on that front. While the technology exists to recycle many plastics, the higher cost of recycled raw materials and infrastructure limitations on collection and distribution limit the viability of recycling automotive fluff.