Eya Hadhri, Environmental Specialist at Poland-based company, r2eko Artur Owczarek (r²eko), explores how automotive recyclers can lead the green revolution by aligning with sustainable practices and European regulations. As the transport sector accounts for 25% of GHG emissions in the EU, the shift toward electric vehicles and the adoption of circular economy principles is essential. She emphasizes the importance of ESG and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) in ensuring that the automotive recycling industry not only complies with new standards but also contributes to a more sustainable future.
The transport sector is responsible for 25% of GHG emissions in the EU, which explains the efforts of the European agreements to reduce the use of fossil fuels in transport in order to achieve climate neutrality by 2050.
To achieve this goal, there must be sufficient charging points and alternative fueling points in the EU for cars, planes, and ships. These goals will lead to a transition from internal combustion engine vehicles to electric cars, which will lead to a change in key powertrain technologies in the automotive sector.
Thus, the automotive recycling industry must pay attention to all these changes, adopt more sustainable practices to ensure compliance with new regulations and become familiar with the latest equipment to ensure its sustainability in the market.
Artur Owczarek, CEO and Founder of r²eko, believes that every industry should be well informed about ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) practices and be able to evaluate the LCA (Life Cycle Analysis) of its products and services to ensure the sustainable recycling of EV components, such as batteries. This adaptation is crucial to align with the EU’s carbon footprint requirements.
Before we delve into the responsibility of automotive recyclers towards a sustainable future, a clear and simple definition of ESG and LCA is essential. In simple terms, ESG is a short form of Environmental, Social, and Governance. These are the three pillars of sustainability that must be considered for reporting. The goal of ESG is to capture all the non-financial risks and opportunities inherent in a company’s daily operations.
On the other hand, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a comprehensive method of analysing the environmental impact of products, technologies, systems, and services throughout their life cycle, from the extraction of raw materials through to production, distribution, use and disposal. The goal of ESG and LCA is to prevent pollution and mitigate risks, allowing industries to make informed decisions that support sustainable practices and environmental management.
Knowledge of these tools will allow a clear understanding of the life cycle of electric vehicle batteries, their safe disassembly and recycling, as well as the management of hazardous materials. Proper recycling of electric vehicle components not only reduces the environmental impact but also supports the circular economy by reusing valuable materials.
In addition to all efforts to extend the product life cycle to ensure a reduction in environmental impacts resulting from recycling, car recyclers must work closely with the automotive industry to implement the principles of the circular economy in their production, which can be summarized in the 3R method: Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. Simply put, traditional conventional recycling methods no longer align with the new regulations. It is necessary to rationalize the electricity used, water, waste management tools and ensure alignment with European environmental agreements.
At r²eko, we understand that it is complicated to start aligning with the promising programs of the European Green Deal, FIT 55, and climate neutrality. That is why we offer a very competitive service to the automative industry in order to help them onboard their sustainable journey. We help them to achieve compliance, market differentiation, operational efficiency and acquire a better reputation.
Furthermore, meeting these standards ensures compliance with EU regulations and can open access to funding and grants to promote green practices, attracting environmentally conscious customers and investors. Once automotive recyclers start implementing carbon footprint calculations, they can identify inefficiencies in their operations, leading to cost savings and improved environmental performance (less water, energy, electricity consumption, etc). As a result, they will gain more trust, a better reputation and will understand the complexity of new vehicles and be ready to recycle them sustainably.
If you are interested in embarking on a sustainable journey as an automotive recycler, auto parts dealer, or working in another area of the automotive sector, we invite you to visit our website: https://r2eko.com for more information.
