Being resourceful and minimizing waste is often seen as a laudable endeavor. In the automotive industry, vehicle manufacturers and suppliers have been making in- roads toward more ecological friendly measures, not only in terms of fuel economy and emissions but also in producing parts and components and end-of-life disposal.
One area that has seen new developments in the last several years includes manufacturing auto components from recycled and even bio-based materials, such as using soy to produce items for vehicle interior fixtures, including seat cushions. There’s also been research into developing under hood components made from bio-based materials, though the nature of these types of parts presents its own set of issues, namely structural integrity, temperature sensitivity and odors (though the idea of combining natural fibers with nano-based materials, is believed to be one possible solution).
… Full Text: http://www.hybridcars.com/news/huge-potential-bio-based-auto-parts-says-study-43966.html
Tags: automotive industry, bio-based materials, labeling program
Source
hybridCARS, 2012-04-02.
Supplier
American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM)
Center for Automotive Research (CAR)
International Organization for Standardization (ISO)
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