UK factory will recycle parts to meet carbon goals

A car factory in the UK will start recycling old car parts to help reduce emissions and support environmentally-friendly practices. The Toyota plant in Burnaston, Derbyshire, is being transformed into the company's first 'Circular Factory.' This initiative aims to help Toyota achieve its goal of being carbon neutral by 2040. Toyota plans to recycle about 10,000 cars each year at this facility. This process will recover around 120,000 parts, 300 tonnes of plastic, and 8,200 tonnes of steel. Leon van der Merwe, a Toyota executive, mentioned they hope to expand similar operations across Europe and collaborate with other organizations that share their environmental goals. While the Burnaston factory will continue making the popular Corolla, it will also have an added line for dismantling older Toyota models. The factory aims to take in around 10,000 end-of-life vehicles each year, breaking them down into various components that can be reused. Reusable parts will be refurbished and distributed for repairs. Other materials like copper, aluminum, and batteries will be remanufactured, reducing the need for new resources. Any materials that cannot be used will be properly recycled. Toyota's Circular Factory is not the only initiative of its kind in the automotive industry. Renault has its own 'Refactory' in Flins, near Paris, where older models are repaired to extend their lifespan. This factory employs around 1,200 workers and handles 80 to 100 repairs daily, significantly cutting energy consumption.