The use of recycled materials — including plastic — in car production reduces their environmental impact. Without any loss of functionality or durability.
Plastic pollution harms the environment, and the seas and oceans in particular — on that there is no longer any doubt. Nevertheless, there are industrial sectors in which this material cannot be done without. In the automotive world, for example, the use of plastic instead of steel (for many parts) has made it possible to significantly reduce vehicle weight, to the considerable benefit of fuel consumption and, consequently, of emissions, both over the product's life cycle and during the production phase. In the case of electric powertrains, less weight also means greater range. Of course, today's cars are on average heavier than those from even "just" twenty years ago, but there is no comparison in terms of the complement of safety devices (crumple zones add weight, as do airbags, control units, sensors and the wiring that enables driver-assistance systems to function), or of comfort and connectivity. Given, then, that plastic is indispensable, there are various types of it and there are better and worse ways of using it: the Volkswagen Group has for years been committed to research aimed at maximising the use of recycled plastic.
While sustainability and the reuse of raw materials rank among the most important objectives within the Volkswagen Group, another element must be clearly understood: "The materials we choose must have no limitations in terms of the functionality of the final component." These are the words of Radka Kubínová, a member of the Škoda Technical Development team (the Czech brand within the VW Group), which is engaged, among other things, in the development of materials and their durability. Put differently, this means that engineers set very precise — and high-standard — requirements for the technical and mechanical characteristics that every single part going into a Škoda must meet. No compromises are made. Within these constraints, the Technical Development division can and must propose the most sustainable solutions.
Recycled plastic does not lend itself to all uses; it is employed primarily in areas where requirements are lower: for wheel arch liners and protection against minor impacts, for example. Materials research is, however, extending its use to more "demanding" parts as well, such as the base of the windscreen. In future, it is also planned for use in boot lining (an area that also plays a structural role).
Based on the premises set out above, one might naturally assume that recycled plastic is ideal for making interior cabin parts, especially the "accessory" ones that perform neither structural nor safety functions. In reality, however, things are not quite that simple: the materials used for interiors must meet very stringent requirements with regard to emissions and odours. Not only in the short term, but over the long term too: the materials must not deteriorate even after many years of thermal cycling and sun exposure, and they certainly cannot become harmful to passengers' health. That said, recycling technologies are nonetheless playing a leading role in the cabin as well: as Audi has shown, PET bottles have been used to produce carpets and floor coverings, while recycled fabrics are used for sound dampening in the floor area. For the future, solutions are under study involving the use of fibres such as coconut, flax, sugar beet and coffee grounds as plastic fillers.
More broadly, it is worth specifying that when the expression "recycled plastic" is used, it can refer mainly to two broad categories. The first is post-industrial recycled materials, in which waste parts generated during the production of components are reused. The second is post-consumer recycled materials: in this case, 100 per cent of the available "raw" material is not recycled. The reason is explained by Lukáš Zuzánek, also a member of the materials development team: "Post-consumer recycled materials need to be integrated with some new substances, and every production batch must be perfectly controlled. An excellent example is the plastic covers beneath the windscreen wipers, whose production includes 50 per cent plastic sourced from battery casings."
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