Reuse of plastics from end-of-life vehicles and electronic waste in China and India

Context

Plastics from end-of-life vehicles and electronic waste are rarely being reused in Asia to date. The numbers of end-of-life vehicles and the amount of electronic waste are increasing rapidly, especially in the most populous countries of China and India. Their often improper disposal poses high cross-border environmental, climate and health risks. Even though the Chinese and Indian markets harbour great potential, the substances are rarely reused. This is mainly due to uncertain business models with low profitability resulting from unclear framework conditions.

Objective

Strategies for closed-loop recycling systems that reprocess plastics from end-of-life vehicles and electronic waste are developed and tested in China and India.

Approach

The project develops recycling processes for high-value plastics from end-of-life vehicles and electronic waste in China and India. To ensure the broadest possible application of the solutions, the project disseminates them through political and industrial networks in the European Union (EU) and South-East Asia.

The project comprises three interconnected areas of activity:

1. Conducting a socio-economic and ecological analysis of the potential reuse of high-value plastics from end-of-life vehicles and electronic waste in China and India.
2. Complementary testing of innovative technologies and ecological concepts for the removal of plastics from used vehicles as well as sorting and reuse.
3. Organising initiatives to facilitate the exchange of knowledge, develop partnerships and improve technical knowledge among regional industry representatives in the electronics and automotive sectors.

Last update: February 2025