A method for identifying the worst recycling case: Application on a range of vehicles in the automotive sector

Dominique Millet, Pierre-Alain Yvars and Pierre Tonnelier

Resources, Conservation & Recycling, 2012, vol. 68, issue C, 1-13

Abstract: The European directive ELV (End of Life of Vehicle) 2000/53/EC means that today's car manufacturers must make sure that vehicles put on the market in 2006 (and in 2015 respectively) respect the reuse and recovery objectives of 85% in mass (95% respectively) and more particularly a recycling objective of 80% (85% respectively). These objectives (JOCE, 2000) will be checked according to a procedure regulated by the Certification Directive (2005/64/EC). This will oblige car manufacturers in particular to present a Certification Report for each vehicle. The Certification Directive gives requirements as to the objectives to be achieved, but imposes no method by which to achieve them. Each car manufacturer has to identify which vehicle, amongst all those in the same range, is the worst recycling case (this case is called the Vehicle of Reference – Vref); its certification results in a de facto certification of all the other models in that particular range. In this article we propose a method based on an Impact of Module on Recycling Rate (I.M.M.R.) indicator enables us to establish rules for identifying the Vref. This method, which is based on a modular approach of the car, allows to highlighting the reasons for the variation of recyclability rates between different versions of a vehicle. In order to test this method in real conditions, we have developed a strong partnership with Peugeot Citroen SA, a French car manufacturer interested in actively contributing to the ecodesign of more sustainable systems. This method was also applied to a vehicle range (Peugeot 308) and its use compared to that of more traditional approaches to identifying the Vref. The method allows for an intelligent, speedy and reliable identification of Vref. Beyond its use for justification vis-à-vis the End of Life Products directive (ELV, WEEE), this method can also be used more pro-actively as a way of evaluating the impacts of an innovation on the recyclability rate of products.

Keywords: Car manufacturer; Certification; Design for recycling; Product architecture; Recycling design rule; Recovery; Innovation; ELV directive (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2012
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:recore:v:68:y:2012:i:c:p:1-13

DOI: 10.1016/j.resconrec.2012.07.002

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