Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd, a global supplier of automotive parts using rubber and plastics technology, is doubling rubber recycling capacity at its Morimachi Plant in central Japan to boost recycling of automotive rubber.
While recycling steel and plastic in the auto industry has advanced, rubber recycling remains challenging, with most waste incinerated. In FY2021, Toyoda Gosei launched its first recycling line using proprietary devulcanization technology to convert rubber waste into high-quality raw materials. The company has since reused waste generated during production.
Now, a second recycling line is being added, set to double capacity to 1,200 tons annually by FY2025. This new line incorporates improved technology to increase the quality of recycled rubber, allowing the proportion of recycled material in new products to rise from a few percent to 20 percent. As a result, nearly all waste from opening trim weatherstrips produced at the Morimachi Plant can be recycled.
The recycled rubber will also be used in other products made from the same synthetic rubber (ethylene propylene diene monomer; EPDM). Additionally, Toyoda Gosei is working on natural rubber recycling and aims to develop a system to recover rubber from end-of-life vehicles. The company plans to collaborate with automakers and other partners to lead global efforts in rubber recycling.