Strategies to improve the recycling of end-of life vehicles (ELV) are a fundamental aspect of Fiat Group Automobiles’ (FGA) commitment to ecological mobility.
The experience gained since 1992 through the F.A.RE. (Fiat Auto Recycling) project and the Group’s commitment to the end-of-life vehicle Framework Programme Agreement (signed in 2008 with the Italian Ministries for the Environment and for Economic Development and all the major players from Italian industry) have led FGA to assume a leading role for all industry players involved in the recycling and recovery of materials from a vehicle once it has reached the end of its useful life.
In 2009, the first operational results for the progressive increase in vehicle recycling targets were in line with those established by the European ELV Directive 2000/53/EC for 2015.
The activities that have enabled Italy to achieve a final average recycling rate of 82.3% of the weight of vehicles scrapped (as reported by ISPRA – the Institute for Environmental Protection and Research – to the European Commission) focused on:
- increasing the market for materials that are more difficult to reuse (plastics, rubber, glass) by making it easier to match supply and demand, including through the establishment of an internet portal operated by FGA and open to any company interested in recovering ELV materials on an industrial scale
- reviewing regulations concerning the treatment of materials, in close collaboration with public authorities
- performing an in-depth analysis with the Ministries concerned of the steps to be taken to increase the market for materials recovered from end-of-life vehicles (Green Procurement)
- annelling the flow of vehicles to be dismantled as a result of scrapping campaigns to dismantling companies capable of recycling a greater proportion of the vehicles received
In recent years, attention has also focused on energy recovery from the residual material which is left over after a vehicle has been shredded and is no longer recyclable mechanically (fluff). Fiat Group Automobiles initiated a major project in this area, which was presented as part of the Italian innovation programme Industria 2015: Target Fluff . Sponsored by Centro Ricerche Fiat on behalf of FGA’s End-of-Life Vehicle (ELV) division, a function dedicated to manage these issues, the project involves three industrial groups which have long been active in the dismantling business. The project calls for the setting up of three different facilities for recycling and recovering energy from car fluff using highly-efficient processes. Over a three year period, these facilities - the innovation portion of which is funded by the Ministry for Economic Development - will help boost the recycling and recovery process and make a substantial contribution toward achieving the objectives set by the EU. Service centres also have a role to play in reducing the amount of waste created during the lifespan of a vehicle: with this in mind, the Fiat Group is proposing a line of remanufactured parts ranging from mechanical components (engine, gearbox, cylinder heads) to electrical and electronic components (alternator, ICS, connections, etc.).

FGA has always paid particular attention to environmental issues and recycling even in the material selection phase, giving preference to environmentally-friendly materials and substances (low environmental impact materials, biopolymers, recycled materials) and studying design solutions to promote vehicle recovery. In fact, all vehicles in the FGA range have been 95% recoverable by weight , well in advance of the recoverability restrictions imposed by Directive 2005/64/EC, also known as RRR (Reuse, Recycle, Recover).
All calculations are performed using a special IT system, the 3R project, which utilises data from the IMDS (International Material Data System – an online database that enables participating companies throughout the supply chain to enter basic information on the composition of their products) and automatically applies ISO 00256. The system is extremely versatile and also enables simulations to evaluate the impact on vehicle recoverability of a change in materials or design solution, continuously monitoring Fiat’s compliance with Directive 2005/64.

In 2009, FGA also explored new applications for recycled materials. In particular, research was conducted into the possibility of increasing the use of recycled PP (polypropylene) and soundproofing materials derived from a separate collection of plastic containers. In Brazil, tests are being carried out on the use of biopolymers in seat upholstery.
Finally, to adequately manage problems associated with the use of critical or hazardous substances within the company, in 2008 Fiat set up a cross-sector working group to coordinate all activities related to this issue, while keeping an eye on the evolution of environmental legislation and potential implications for the automotive industry. In particular, the impacts of two new European regulations , CLP (Classification, Labelling and Packaging) and REACH (Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals) , were analysed. The CLP regulation sets out new criteria for classifying substances and preparations. In 2009, FGA began an assessment (to be concluded in 2010) of possible alternative solutions for some of the components used in the pre-painting process affected by the regulation.
REACH, on the other hand, regulates the manufacture, import, sale and use of chemicals within the European Union and aims to raise awareness of the risks associated with new or existing chemical products. In 2009, the cross-sector working group focused its activities on identifying products containing SVHCs (Substances of Very High Concern), which are to be disclosed at each stage of the supply chain (from supplier to end consumer). To improve the identification process and incentivize suppliers to substitute these hazardous substances, information systems were modified and suppliers monitored through specific questionnaires.