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Automakers are looking to save money and go green with recycled and sustainable materials

Automotive manufacturers around the globe are looking to go green with their vehicles in more than one way. Not only are they designing vehicles that are more fuel-efficient and produce less pollution, they are looking to use greener materials to build the vehicles with as well.

When thinking of green vehicles, what tends to come to mind are cars like the GM Volt with electric powertrains. Many carmakers are also looking to use recycled and green parts inside the car's interior. The Detroit News reports that automakers are now using materials like worn out jeans, plastic bottles, and other rubbish typically thrown in the trash.

GM materials engineer Lora Herron said, "If we have two parts -- one is recycled, the other one is virgin -- and they perform and cost the same, why wouldn't you use the recycled one?"

Carmakers often see cost savings in using recycled materials for parts, but not always. It can be hard for the manufacturer to design a part that is as durable as parts made from manmade plastics and materials. That means that the car marker has to spend more time in research and development, which could make the recycled part more expensive.

One of the big recycled items that GM uses in interior parts are recycled plastic milk cartons. Last year 9% of all milk cartons, detergent bottles, and other containers made form high-density polyethylene were used in automotive parts in America. Ten years ago, the percentage was negligible.

Plastic isn't the only recycled material making their way into vehicles today. The 2010 Buick LaCrosse is using cardboard from the GM Marion Stamping Plans as acoustic ceiling panels. GM also uses kenaf for ceiling support and acoustics in some vehicles. Kenaf is a plant similar to bamboo.

Herron estimates that GM uses 5-10% recycled plastics in its vehicles. The manufacturer is even turning scrap yarn from carpet mills into plastic for an engine part in some of its vehicles. Ford also uses recycled plastics in its vehicles as well as biodegradable plastics made from corn and switch grass. "We said hey, we have to do a little better than great gas millage," said Carol Kordich, Ford's lead sustainability designer. "So we started looking into the interior."

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Why do car makers care if something is recycled?
By Schrag4 on 10/19/2009 1:10:37 PM , Rating: 3
A GM engineer was quoted:

quote:
If we have two parts -- one is recycled, the other one is virgin -- and they perform and cost the same, why wouldn't you use the recycled one?


I would pose an entirely different question. Why should we care if a material is recycled at all? In theory, since people are PAYING to sort out their own trash, shouldn't the recycled materials be cheaper? Oh, and if the 'recycled' part doesn't perform the same as the virgin part then it's NOT a no-brainer. You obviously have to weigh your options.

I guess I just assumed that car makers, along with every other manufacturer in the world, have been using recycled materials for decades now because of cost savings. Is this just an attempt at good press by the auto industry? I fail to see the news here...




By Yawgm0th on 10/19/2009 1:25:14 PM , Rating: 2
quote:
I guess I just assumed that car makers, along with every other manufacturer in the world, have been using recycled materials for decades now because of cost savings. Is this just an attempt at good press by the auto industry? I fail to see the news here...
They've been using recycled metal for nearly as long as they've existed and still do. In fact, metal recycling has far more ecological and economic benefits than pretty much any other material recycling, especially with cars.


By Spookster on 10/19/2009 1:35:55 PM , Rating: 2
I'm not sure that GM worker's statement makes sense. It sounds like they are talking about using refurbished parts and not necessarily using recycled materials in new parts. If the part is refurbished then yes there might be some concern but if it's a new part made out of recycled materials then I don't see what the problem would be unless the recycled material was lesser in quality than if using new raw materials to make the part.


By carniver on 10/19/2009 1:40:19 PM , Rating: 2
Recycled (paper, plastics, everything) stuff are often more expensive today due to difficulties in quality control.


Lexus already does this
By mmcdonalataocdotgov on 10/19/2009 2:14:45 PM , Rating: 2
as do others. Why is it news when GM does it?




RE: Lexus already does this
By Reclaimer77 on 10/19/09, Rating: 0
RE: Lexus already does this
By sweetsauce on 10/19/2009 5:34:19 PM , Rating: 2
Nice that you harp on the bailout of GM when Bush and his administration assraped the US taxpayers 100 fold with his bank bailouts. At least with the GM bailout there's a chance that the taxpayers will get that money back. I'd like to see that ever happen with the billions Bush gave to the banks.


RE: Lexus already does this
By Reclaimer77 on 10/19/2009 5:55:38 PM , Rating: 1
Wrong. I bitch about the TARP all the time and denounce Bush for doing it. There just isn't a reason for me to do that on THIS thread because it's about GM.


RE: Lexus already does this
By Reclaimer77 on 10/19/2009 6:06:25 PM , Rating: 2
Furthermore I don't see a difference between the two. They are bailouts, not loans. And I haven't compared the exact figures, but I'm pretty sure the TARP was not "100 times" more money than the auto bailouts.

That much government intervention in a business, even to "save it", I'm solidly apposed against.


By inperfectdarkness on 10/21/2009 8:26:19 AM , Rating: 2
because it just fits.

have you been inside pretty much any GM vehicle? PLASTIC. as far as the eye can see. it's always been a feature facet of their cars...now there's a logical explaination for it. never mind the stuff the competition uses which makes for a cozier interior than stiff plastic....


GM Quality
By jahwarrior on 10/19/2009 1:31:05 PM , Rating: 1
"The 2010 Buick LaCrosse is using cardboard from the GM Marion Stamping Plans as acoustic ceiling panels"

sounds high quality to me




RE: GM Quality
By Souka on 10/19/2009 5:09:41 PM , Rating: 2
Yep, sure is. A step up in quality for sure! ;)


Future warranty claims
By FITCamaro on 10/19/2009 12:44:28 PM , Rating: 2
Service manager: "Whats wrong with your car?"

You: "Yeah I've got ants eating my interior."




By Sooticus on 10/19/2009 9:21:42 PM , Rating: 2
Consider the following points:

1. It takes much more energy and creates more waste to create new products than it does to reuse or repair the old.

2. Any company that makes its money selling new products generally rely on people getting rid of old products.

The way most manufacturers work is to limit the effective life of the products to avoid people keeping the old products. They are designed to fail and hence the above two points work together to the benefit of the manufacturer and to the detriment of both the consumer and environment. Using bio degradable products are great at ensuring this limited lifespan under the guise of environmentally friendliness.

What we need is something like a 10 year standard effective life that all manufacturers work to meeting. That means in ten years the product x which I purchased will still be working under its intended use. It would weed out all the pushers of junk that we see constantly going to landfill within days of its purchase and be beneficial to the consumer and environment.

Make it a new emissions standard, just like the gaseous standards already in use for vehicles around the world.




Whats that smell?
By HostileEffect on 10/19/09, Rating: -1
RE: Whats that smell?
By Spivonious on 10/19/09, Rating: 0
RE: Whats that smell?
By FishTankX on 10/20/2009 12:15:35 AM , Rating: 2
He's talking about mechanical failure. Plastics generally don't have the same strength.


RE: Whats that smell?
By Iaiken on 10/19/09, Rating: 0
"I mean, if you wanna break down someone's door, why don't you start with AT&T, for God sakes? They make your amazing phone unusable as a phone!" -- Jon Stewart on Apple and the iPhone











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