car fittings

Recycled materials are used for car parts. Image via Adobe Stock

Reduce, reuse, recycle: The fishy truth about recycled car fittings

It is no longer surprising that what was once trash is enjoying a second life as a desirable commodity. Recycled car fittings are here to stay.

car fittings

Recycled materials are used for car parts. Image via Adobe Stock

It is not uncommon in these technological times to find that cars are built from a range of materials that can include iron, aluminium, plastic, steel, glass, rubber, petroleum by-products and copper. But, discarded, recycled nylon fishing nets?

The reality is that soon when you slip behind the wheel of a Jaguar or Land Rover, and admire that trim and squish your toes into thick-pile floor mats that you will be enjoying the feel of car building materials pulled out of landfills and oceans.

Recycled car fittings

It is not that far a leap when you consider that real wood, walnut and other trims have long passed from the interiors of all but the most expensive cars.

Let’s face it; old fishing nets are an improvement in some cases. Nothing could be uglier than some of the “luxury trim” that infected the interiors of American cars for years.

The chances are that when the next-generation Jaguar and Land Rover models feature items made from recycled material, they won’t hear cries of outrage.

Although floor mats and trims will be manufactured with fibres derived from recycled industrial plastic, fabric offcuts and nets abandoned on land and in the sea, most people would be happy knowing that the residue of the modern age has started a second life as part of a luxury car.

Recycled material in Land Rover

According to Jaguar Land Rover, the material that will defy the fingertip and squiggling toes tests will be made of ECONYL® yarns that involve processes that produce 90% fewer emissions than material produced from oil.

Presently, Land Rover offers a premium eucalyptus textile interior on Range Rover Evoque while Evoque, Range Rover and Jaguar’s all-electric I-PACE benefit from optional Kvadrat. This high-quality material combines durable wool with a suede cloth made from 53 recycled plastic bottles per vehicle.

If the idea dismays you, then you probably don’t know that the yarn being used in the cars is already common in high-end (not high-smelling) fashion, sportswear and luxury watch brands to create handbags, backpacks, swimwear and watch straps.

UK legislation

What is interesting is that the UK has legislation in place that will force manufacturers to produce cars that are 95% recyclable. (I suppose when you live on an island, it’s the right thing to do).

Since 2003, the End of Life Vehicle Regulations has resulted in about two million vehicles being processed every year and that potential pollutants such as fuel, oils, brake fluids and other liquids are removed, collected and stored.

Within six months of putting a new type of vehicle on the UK market, the public has to be informed about hazardous substances used in a car and how components can be dismantled, reused or recovered.

In addition to this, the requirement is that 95% of a car (by weight) has to be recyclable, reused or recoverable. Considering that the average car has about 30,000 parts, that’s a big ask.

Estimates are that to date, the UK has reduced landfill by 500,000 tonnes, and the industry has reduced landfill waste by 90% since 2000. (Pity they don’t apply this to supermarket trollies which end up in waterways.)

Laws like this would be great in SA, but first, we should make a concerted effort to get rid of our national flower — the blue plastic bag that adorns just about everything.