Jaguar Land Rover and BASF trial recycled plastic in cars

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Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has partnered with BASF in a pilot research project to trial plastic recycling technology.

Vehicle parts are required to meet safety and quality standards, so automotive companies are limited in the types of recycled plastic they can use. The new partnership is part of BASF’s ChemCycling project, which uses chemical recycling of plastic to convert the waste into new products. BASF will convert domestic plastic waste, which would otherwise be incinerated or sent to landfill, to a pyrolysis oil which is then used as a feedstock to produce a high-quality plastic. The plastic can be tempered and coloured, making it suitable for dashboards and exterior surfaces in JLR vehicles. The pilot-phase material is currently being tested in Jaguar’s electric I-PACE prototype.

Chris Brown, Senior Sustainability Manager at JLR, said: “Plastics are vital to car manufacturing and have proven benefits during their use phase, however, plastic waste remains a major global challenge. Solving this issue requires innovation and joined-up thinking between regulators, manufacturers and suppliers. The collaboration with BASF is just one way in which we are advancing our commitment to operating in a circular economy.”

JLR has already met its target for zero waste to landfill for UK operations by 2020, which includes replacing 14m single-use plastic items in business operations.