IMPACTS OF MATERIAL SUBSTITUTION IN AUTOMOBILE MANUFACTURE ON RESOURCE RECOVERY. VOLUME I. RESULTS AND SUMMARY

The study reported here was undertaken to focus on a particular aspect of resource recovery from automobiles; namely, the long-range technical, environmental, and economic consequences of changes in the materials input into the manufacture of automobiles. That radical changes in automobile materials consumption are taking place, and will continue, is readily apparent; cars are becoming smaller and lighter and major efforts are being made to improve their fuel economy; lighter weight materials, particularly aluminum and plastics, are being emphasized as replacement for traditional materials. The study has been subdivided into four parts as follows: (1) A quantification of the trends in automobile material composition in the period from now to the 1980-1990 decade; (2) An examination of technological and economic problems associated with materials characteristics, availability, and price which could constrain an evident trend toward the use of lighter metals and plastics in automobiles; (3) A study of the automobile recycling industry to determine if the perceived changes in automobile materials composition might either alter economic incentives, or present technical problems in recycling automobiles; (4) A study of long-range economic and environmental effects using a macromodel of the U.S. economy, the SEAS (Strategic Environmental Assessment System) model, developed under the auspices of EPA.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Report on Technology of Automobile Crushing and Shredding, Presented at the University of Wisconsin-Extension, 16-17 October, 1975.
• Corporate Authors:

  International Research and Development Corporation

  1501 Wilson Boulevard
  Arlington, VA  United States  22209

  Environmental Protection Agency

  Office of Research and Development
  Cincinnati, OH  United States  45268
• Authors:
  • Roig, R W
  • Henn, W L
  • Jones, T
  • Narkus-Kramer, M
  • Renner, R
• Publication Date: 1976-7

Media Info

• Pagination: 114 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Abandonment; Aluminum alloys; Automobile industry; Charts; Economic analysis; Economic factors; Forecasting; Iron alloys; Lightweight materials; Management; Manufacturing; Materials; Materials management; Materials recovery (Mining); Motor vehicle industry; Planning; Plastics; Recycling; Scrap metal; Shredding; Solid waste disposal; Technology
• Uncontrolled Terms: Separation
• Old TRIS Terms: Collection; Management planning; Materials recovery; Materials replacement; Metal scrap; Process charting; Substitutes
• Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Economics; Geotechnology; Highways; Materials; Planning and Forecasting; Safety and Human Factors; Society; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00146078
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Technical Information Service
• Report/Paper Numbers: IRT-403-R Final Rpt., EPA/600/5-76/007a
• Contract Numbers: EPA-68-01-3142
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jan 16 1977 12:00AM