Currently, the treatment of End-of-Life Vehicles (ELVs) is handled by Authorized Treatment Centers (ATCs), which only carry out decontamination. Afterward, shredders select the materials of interest, although not all plastics are always recycled.
To improve this situation, AIMPLAS, the Technological Institute of Plastics, is coordinating the LIFE CIRC-ELV project, which aims to implement a new, technically and economically viable value chain in Europe. This chain will involve centers separating high-density polyethylene tanks and polypropylene bumpers, both materials of high interest. Following the initial separation, a pretreatment process is planned to yield recycled material for pipe manufacturing and recycled compound for producing new automotive components, such as wheel arches.
The project aims to obtain 12 tons of recycled plastic for every thousand vehicles. This means that, with the implementation of this procedure, a 75% reduction in the carbon footprint is expected through the use of recycled plastic.
AIMPLAS's role in the project, in addition to coordinating it, involves developing the pretreatment method for the separated plastics before they are sent to the compounder. Furthermore, it will be responsible for analyzing the environmental impacts throughout the entire life cycle.
The LIFE CIRC-ELV project has the participation of five other partners: the Spanish companies Desguaces Cortés, Sigit and Sigrauto, the French company Indra and the Portuguese company Isolago.
