Material Use and Solid Waste

Today’s cars weight significantly less than in the past.  This trend is continuing as a result of better technology which allows for the ability to recycle more types of used car materials.  Today, automobiles have over 20,000 individual parts.  25% of the generated waste from these parts at the end of car’s life is not recycled.  This non-recycled material is typically disposed of in a landfill.

The materials used for car production do not just have environmental effects at the end of the car’s life.  Environmental effects can be seen at all stages: (1) Mining of raw materials (2) Transport and processing (3) Manufacturing operations that transform and assemble these materials into the final consumer product – the automobile

Estimated Distribution of Material Waste

Essential  Distribution of Recycled Material