Scrap that’s not crap

Toyota has bumped up efforts to reduce waste by recycling old vehicle bumper covers and other scrap parts.

In partnership with Boles Parts Supply (BPS), Toyota created the National Scrap Program in 2014, a one-stop shop for all of Toyota’s North American Parts Operation’s (NAPO) recycling needs. Accepting the challenge to help Toyota recycle old bumper covers, BPS began shredding them into plastic pellets. The pellets are now sold to a vendor where they take on a second life as part of the materials used to create new plastic automotive parts. 

The program piloted with Toyota’s two largest parts centres – Ontario, Calif., and Hebron, Ky. – and in the first 15 months helped recycle over 40,000 pounds of cloth and foam, two materials previously incinerated or sent to landfills.

Between April 2014 and June 2015, it expanded to parts distribution centres in Cincinnati, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Portland,  and more than doubled the amount of cloth, foam, glass and rubber recycled – over 88,000 pounds/36,287 kilograms. Toyota is currently reviewing the program for potential roll-out to remaining parts distribution centers by the end of fiscal year 2017.

“We’ve been enormously pleased with the success of this program,” said Juliana Dee, manager of the program at NAPO. “Thanks to our partner BPS, we are giving a second life to things that used to be trash and making a real improvement in our recycling rate.”