Plasnomic, a US-based company focused on setting global standards for sustainable plastic repair, is leading a new industry effort to tackle automotive plastic waste in partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), the American Chemistry Council (ACC), major OEMs, and the collision repair sector.
In recent meetings with Ford, General Motors, Volkswagen, Toyota, Hyundai, and other key industry partners, Plasnomic helped outline a shared plan to address plastic waste across the entire vehicle lifecycle.
The collision and aftermarket sectors are among the largest sources of automotive plastic waste, with bumper covers and headlights making up most of the discarded materials. Past recycling programs have been small-scale and inconsistent, leading to most parts ending up in landfills.
Plasnomic’s new program, called CORE, aims to create a structured, commercially viable system for managing plastic waste and recovering reusable parts. The initiative will process collected materials into recycled feedstock for new automotive components while refurbishing reusable parts, starting with bumpers and headlights, through a certified repair process that ensures traceability and sustainability.
The potential value of salvaged headlight cores alone is estimated at over $100 million annually. Similarly, high-quality bumper covers currently resold through informal channels could be redirected into a certified circular system under CORE.
“This collaboration marks a major milestone for the collision, supply, and manufacturing sectors. It’s time we finally put regulation and process behind how we manage plastic parts waste,” said Brian Driehorst, CEO of Plasnomic. “By coordinating efforts between collision shops, plastic recyclers, government agencies, and OEMs, we’re proving that circular plastic recovery can be both regulated and economically sustainable, something that has long been missing in our industry and is urgently needed.”
Under this program, Plasnomic and its partners will collect damaged parts from collision centers, repair and reuse what can be saved, and recycle the rest into materials for new parts. The goal is to keep plastics out of landfills, support OEM sustainability efforts, and build a stronger circular economy. By improving repair standards and responsibly managing plastic waste, Plasnomic is helping the industry create a cleaner, more sustainable future.
Source plasnomic.com
