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Automotive
| Plastics have a major role to play in the automotive industry and have many inherent benefits: | |
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Reduced Weight:
The average new car in 1984 contained 8.5% plastics by weight. A similar car today contains around 11%. The increased use of plastics reduces the weight of vehicles and consequently emissions. The weight reductions brought about though the increased use of plastics has also offset the extra weight brought about by improved safety features such as airbags
Energy Saving
Using 100 kg of plastics in a car can replace between 200 - 300 kg of traditional materials. Over the average lifespan of a vehicle every 100kg of plastics will reduce fuel consumption of the vehicle by 750 litres.
Reduced Emissions:
The DTI's Energy Review Consultation Document (January 2006) said "average fuel efficiency from new cars improved by 10% since 1997" and "Average emissions from new cars in the UK went from 192 grams of CO2 per kilometers in 1995 to 172 in 2004". These improvements can be attributed, not in small part, to the increased use of plastics in cars.
Reduced Weight:
Using 100 kg of plastics in a car can replace between 200 - 300 kg of traditional materials. Over the average lifespan of a vehicle every 100kg of plastics will reduce fuel consumption of the vehicle by 750 litres.
Comfort, Safety and Aesthetics:
Plastics are essential in the manufacture of many car parts. Plastics are used in air bags, seats, seat covers, insulation, electrics, under bonnet applications. The use of plastics also provides many aesthetic benefits both in the shapes and colours available.
Innovations:
The automotive sector is very dynamic in terms of research and development, and innovation. Automotive manufactures are always looking for ways to reduce weight and improve efficiency, and plastics provide a great opportunities to reach these goals. In the future carbon-fibre is likely to play an important role in replacing traditional materials and could potentially reduce the weight of cars by a half.
Recycling:
The reuse of parts and the reclamation of materials from motor vehicles is not a new industry, but traditionally this has focused on metal recycling. With the ever increasing use of plastics in vehicles there are increasing opportunities for plastics recycling and the use of recyclate.
The BPF's PROVE automotive recycling project, funded by the DTI has helped enormously in assessing the potential for recycling of particular car parts.
The BPF's PROVE automotive recycling project, funded by the DTI has helped enormously in assessing the potential for recycling of particular car parts.
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| Plastics saves lives... | ...saves fuel (and the planet!)... | ...and can be recycled! |
