End of Life

Automobiles are one of the most highly recycled consumer products in the world. All vehicles contain parts and materials – particularly iron, steel and aluminum – that can be recovered at the end of their useful lives. In North America, about 95 percent of vehicles that go out of registration are processed by a dismantler or scrap metal recycling facility, with 82 to 84 percent of the vehicle by weight recovered for reuse, remanufacturing or recycling.

In theory, end-of-life vehicles are nearly 100 percent recyclable. In practice, however, the cost in energy and labor to recover the final fractions often exceeds the value of the materials, and recent, independently reviewed environmental studies suggest that such efforts also offer no value to the environment. Ford focuses on increasing the economically viable and environmentally sound recycling percentage through a number of means: selection of materials, labeling and providing information to dismantlers on materials and methods for treatment.

In the EU, automakers are required by EU Directive 2000/53/EC to take back vehicles (that they put on the market) at the end of their lives, ensuring that they are treated in an environmentally responsible manner. Since 2002, Ford has been at the forefront of providing return networks in the EU member states that have established regulations. Ford now has End-of-Life Vehicle (ELV) take-back and recycling networks for Ford brand vehicles in 18 EU markets and participates in collective ELV recycling systems in another 10. For example, Ford was the first major manufacturer in the UK to put in place a comprehensive plan that met the European Commission's ELV directive. By working with Cartakeback.com, Ltd., we now have a network of more than 150 facilities providing unrivalled convenience to the last owner for the professional take back, receipt and treatment of end-of-life vehicles. That network successfully achieved an 85 percent recycling and recovery achievement for all vehicles processed during 2007.

In May 2007, Ford became one of the first European automakers to be certified in compliance with ELV requirements by demonstrating to external authorities that the Ford processes properly manage the reusability, recyclability and recoverability aspects of vehicles.

Ford has also participated in research into alternative treatments for end-of-life vehicles. Most of the plastic, foam and other non-metal vehicle materials end up being shredded. Most of this "auto shredder residue," or ASR, ends up going to landfill. We have been working to assess the environmental impacts of burning ASR for energy. Together with other European automotive manufacturers, a fully ISO 14040-compliant LCA study has been finalized showing that – from a purely environmental point of view – using recycling automotive shredder residue for energy recovery is as beneficial as recycling it. However, we are also working on technologies that will facilitate the recycling of shredder residue materials. For example, working with Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) through USCAR's Vehicle Recycling Partnership, we have developed a technology platform for recovering end-of-life vehicle materials from shredder residue. The current ANL pilot process, which has been proven out at one-tenth of full size, is now being scaled up. An automotive shredder partner has offered to install a full-scale "technology validation" plant for recovering materials from shredder residue. The shredder's offer is a unique opportunity to further prove out the technology, moving it closer toward commercialization.