Corporation de l'École Polytechnique de Montréal

Published purpose

Automotive polymers are currently not recycled in Canada. It is estimated between 300 and 400 kt/year of plastics from end-of-life vehicles are sent to landfills. However, the use of plastics and plastic composites in vehicles is expected to increase as they allow for significant weight reduction, and hence reduced fuel consumption, compared to conventional materials such as metals or glass. This Project will develop economically viable and environmentally acceptable technologies for recycling polymer automotive components, with emphasis on poly methyl methacrylate (PMMA) and polycarbonate (PC), two transparent polymers envisioned for developing lightweight polymer glazings and other advanced components. The Project aligns with NRC’s Canadian Lightweighting Initiative on Polymer Glazings (CLIP Glazings), which aims to further the adoption of lightweight polymer glazings for vehicles.