Audi has launched a pilot project with the THINK TANK Industrial Resource Strategies of Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) to determine the potential viability of chemical recycling for automotive plastics.

Notes professor Dieter Stapf, Head of KIT's Institute for Technical Chemistry, “Recycling automotive plastics has not yet been possible for many components. If we want to close these loops, we need to develop suitable methods."

The chemical recycling process produces a substance called pyrolysis oil. And, if new plastic automotive components can be produced from this oil, instead of from petroleum, “it would be possible to significantly increase the proportion of sustainably manufactured components in automobiles,” says Marco Philippi, Senior Director Procurement Strategy of Audi. “In the long run, this method can also play a role in end-of-life vehicle recycling.”

The initial testing will determine the technical feasibility of chemical recycling for automotive plastics, and evaluate “its economic efficiency and environmental impacts.” In this phase, Audi is providing used plastic components like fuel tanks, wheel trim parts, and radiator grills that come in through its dealership, for testing.

“If technical feasibility will be demonstrated, Audi will industrialize the technology and progressively apply it to more and more components.”

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