DaimlerChrysler Named 'Environmentalist of the Year'
DaimlerChrysler was recently named <br>"Environmentalist of the Year" by the Environmental Research and Education Foundation, for its CARE Car II program aimed at demonstrating a new recycling technology that could significantly reduce the amount of old car parts sent to landfills.
a href=http://www.greenbiz.com/frame/1.cfm?targetsite=http://www.daimlerchrysl… was recently named
"Environmentalist of the Year" by the Environmental Research and Education Foundation, for its CARE Car II program aimed at demonstrating a new recycling technology that could significantly reduce the amount of old car parts sent to landfills.
The CARE (Concepts for Advanced Recycling and Environmental) Car II demonstration program aims to increase the recyclability and recovery of automobiles from 75% to 95% by weight, and increase the use of recycled materials in production vehicles.
"There is a certain irony naming a manufacturing company as 'Environmentalist of the Year,'" said Bernard Robertson, senior vice president of engineering technologies and regulatory affairs at DaimlerChrysler. "But this award highlights the opportunities that global companies like DaimlerChrysler have to bring together different industries to invent environmental solutions. The CARE Car project also demonstrates that industry can protect the environment and the bottom line at the same time."
As part of the program, the company retrofitted two Jeep Grand Cherokees with 54 parts made with recycled plastic. Twenty-six of DaimlerChrysler's production supply partners helped manufacture a wide variety of plastic components from the recycled plastic including carpet padding, the glove box bin, interior door trim molding, exterior body molding, and fender liners.
The project used an automated process developed by Recovery Plastics
International (RPI) to sort and separate different types of plastic from the residue. The recovered plastic was recycled and ready for reuse.
"DaimlerChrysler is the perfect example of the manufacturing industry's commitment to identifying crucial environmental issues and applying innovative and beneficial technology for the good of us all," said Ronald McCracken, chair of EREF.
According to the company, the recycled plastic offered a cost savings of about 30% compared to the use of virgin plastic in manufacturing the components. The company said this savings could translate into an industry-wide savings of up to $320 million per year.
"Environmentalist of the Year" by the Environmental Research and Education Foundation, for its CARE Car II program aimed at demonstrating a new recycling technology that could significantly reduce the amount of old car parts sent to landfills.
The CARE (Concepts for Advanced Recycling and Environmental) Car II demonstration program aims to increase the recyclability and recovery of automobiles from 75% to 95% by weight, and increase the use of recycled materials in production vehicles.
"There is a certain irony naming a manufacturing company as 'Environmentalist of the Year,'" said Bernard Robertson, senior vice president of engineering technologies and regulatory affairs at DaimlerChrysler. "But this award highlights the opportunities that global companies like DaimlerChrysler have to bring together different industries to invent environmental solutions. The CARE Car project also demonstrates that industry can protect the environment and the bottom line at the same time."
As part of the program, the company retrofitted two Jeep Grand Cherokees with 54 parts made with recycled plastic. Twenty-six of DaimlerChrysler's production supply partners helped manufacture a wide variety of plastic components from the recycled plastic including carpet padding, the glove box bin, interior door trim molding, exterior body molding, and fender liners.
The project used an automated process developed by Recovery Plastics
International (RPI) to sort and separate different types of plastic from the residue. The recovered plastic was recycled and ready for reuse.
"DaimlerChrysler is the perfect example of the manufacturing industry's commitment to identifying crucial environmental issues and applying innovative and beneficial technology for the good of us all," said Ronald McCracken, chair of EREF.
According to the company, the recycled plastic offered a cost savings of about 30% compared to the use of virgin plastic in manufacturing the components. The company said this savings could translate into an industry-wide savings of up to $320 million per year.
