Increasing Recycling Rates: The Power To Surprise
Increasing Recycling Rates: The Power To Surprise
Increasing Recycling Rates: The Power To Surprise
Kia Motors strives to develop products with minimum environmental impact from
design and production to dismantling. Kia Motors has promoted the recycling
initiative under the goal of developing vehicles that are more environment-friendly.
Under the initiative, the recycling rate of products has been assessed by a
recycling rate evaluation program carried out be engineers and set up through
our intranet in October 2002. Efficient dismantling technology, which is applicable
from the design stage, has been studied constantly since 1998. Furthermore,
material marking was initiated in 1992 to help in sorting materials during
dismantling and hence facilitate recycling. Moreover, to conform to overseas
regulations, Kia Motors has duly practiced material marking ever since then. Kia
proactively responds to European laws and regulations on car dismantling and
heavy metal usage. Developing alternative materials to heavy metals holds the
key to reducing use of hazardous materials. Also, lead- free fuel tanks and leadfree coatings are examples of achievements in this effort. Kia works to develop
alternatives to such materials and auto parts, whose usage is expected to be
banned sooner or later by laws and regulations. At the same time, we distribute
manuals on efficient dismantling to other companies.
In an effort to promote environmental preservation, Kia Motors continuously
studies various recycling technologies on discarded auto parts and began to
utilize them in new car manufacturing. Plastic and rubber parts that can easily be
disassembled have become a fundamental area of research for our R&D
department. Kia Motors, for the first time in the world, developed paint film
removal technology allowing for recycling of coated bumpers. And now, we are
developing a technology to segregate large plastic parts by material, such as
dashboards, in which many different kinds of materials are used. Establishment
of a model plant for dismantling and automobile recycling has provided extra
momentum for out efforts in this area. Against this backdrop, Kia Motors
categorized its recycling objectives into three stages, under which detailed
targets have been formulated.
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Dismantling Manual
A dismantling manual has been distributed to the European region where ELV
regulations are in effect. Kia Motors has joined the IDIS (International
Dismantling Information System) and provided dismantling information for 18
models including Bongo III, and dismantling information for new models will
continued to be updated.
A dismantling manual in DVD form has been distributed to local dismantlingrelated organizations and affiliates to provide information on the International
Dismantling Information System (IDIS), the type used in Europe. Kia Motors
included the Korean language in IDIS, and a Web-based version and DVD have
been added to provide the same dismantling manuals for all models in the
domestic market.
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Production: Development
Environment
of
Technologies
on
Production
Paint Recycling
Kia Motors strives to control chemicals and develop waste-reducing technology
in order to achieve environmental preservation and productivity enhancement at
the same time by boosting efficiency of resource utilization. It is believed that a
discarded paint sludge recycling project underway will greatly contribute to waste
reduction by turning discarded paint, which is environmentally toxic, into a car
sealant. At present, the focus is on recycling and post-management of waste.
Over time, Kia plans to establish a Zero-Emission System by reducing the
environmental burden. Meanwhile, commensurate with the UN Convention on
Climate Change, which grabbed the attention of the whole world, Kia Motors will
develop new renewable energy sources while reducing CO2 and implementing
sorting/collecting technologies. Additionally, Kia Motors does its best to minimize
environmental impact such as water and air quality degradation and odor.
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The bumper is a functional auto part that absorbs impact and consists of a
bumper cover and back beam, which take up the largest volume among its
plastic parts. Bumper covers are coated for aesthetic purposes and are therefore
difficult to recycle. On the other hand, the back beam is made of Glass Mat
Thermoplastic, which is hard to pulverize and does not recover its original
physical properties through recycling. So, for effective recycling, the development
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Europe. The directive aims to put limits on the use of heavy metals and increase
recycling of old cars. Automakers failing to abide by the directive will face a
critical blow to exports.
In addition, controversy over the environmental harm caused by PVC sheet in
vehicles is heating up. Regulations on toxic gases generated by burning PVC are
being toughened. All these situations inevitably force leading automakers around
the world to struggle to develop environment-friendly alternatives and Kia Motors
is no exception. We began developing PVC-free materials in 1996 to ensure the
health of our customers and live up to environment regulations around the world.
As a result, we succeeded in using TPO sheet in door trim in 1999 and acquired
the KT mark in 2000, which is awarded to domestic companies for excellent
technologies. In 2001, Kia Motors also succeeded in mass production of large
crash pads, which was thought to be impossible in the past. Now, crash pads are
applied to most of Kia Motors vehicles. Kia plans to adopt vacuum- forming
technology to all Kia vehicles and other parts and components including
headlining and sun visors.
In the meantime, the internal parts of vehicles consist of materials that improve
appearance and feel, pad materials to absorb external shocks and create more
cushions, and other materials to maintain shape. All these materials are
immiscible with each other and bonded by hot welding or adhesives. Therefore, it
was common wisdom that the materials could not be recycled as mixed plastic or
returned to a heat source. However, most leading automakers are developing
technologies to unify all these materials to improve the recycling rate of car parts
as well as to avoid using PVC.
In 1999, Kia Motors transformed door trim consisting of PVC, PP foam pad and
resin felt into polypropylene resin (TPO, PP form pad and mixed PP) and
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became the worlds first automaker to mass-produce the material. Due to this
achievement, Kia Motors was awarded the Prime Minister Award from the
Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy (MOCIE) in 2001.
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