Recycling strategies for plastics in end-of-life vehicles: a complete overview

As the global number of end-of-life vehicles (ELVs) surges, so does the urgency to address the mounting challenge of sustainable waste management. Plastics, which make up 10-15% of a vehicle's mass, are at the center of this challenge. Historically, these materials, especially single-polymer components, have been incinerated, landfilled, or indiscriminately shredded into automotive shredder residue (ASR). With increasingly stringent EU regulations and rising public demand for circularity, such environmentally burdensome practices are no longer tenable. This review casts a spotlight on the overlooked potential of ELV plastics, offering a comprehensive analysis of current recycling approaches and emerging innovations. Polymer-specific strategies are explored to transform waste into value, unlocking new circular pathways for both thermoplastics and thermosets. Mechanical recycling, despite limitations from contamination, additive complexity, and polymer degradation, remains the most viable and scalable route for common thermoplastics such as polypropylene, polyethylene, and polyamide. More complex materials, such as thermoset polyurethanes or epoxy resins, require advanced chemical processes including glycolysis and acidolysis. Innovative methods, such as solvent-based separation and pyrolysis, are gaining traction, offering monomer recovery and material upcycling. Life cycle assessments (LCAs) provide critical insights into the environmental trade-offs between recycling, incineration, and landfill, reinforcing the need for smarter, greener systems. By embracing polymer-specific recycling strategies, and investing in next-generation sorting, closed-loop systems, and supportive policies, the automotive industry can move beyond incremental change. Large-scale, economically feasible ELV plastic recovery is not only possible, it is imperative for a truly circular automotive future.