End-of-life vehicle plastic management in Republic of Korea: Material flow analysis and hazardous substance analysis

One of the alternatives for reducing greenhouse gas emissions is the ongoing effort to lighten the weight of vehicles. Therefore, the proportion of end-of-life vehicles (ELV) plastic (ELVP) is expected to increase. In this study, material flow analysis (MFA) of ELVs and the first ELVP–MFA were conducted in the Republic of Korea. The amount of ELVP dismantled from ELVs was 22,600 tons per year. Of these, 22,000 tons were sent to recycling facilities. The actual recycling rate was only 51.7 %, and the practical recycling rate was lower. Large amounts of inorganic matter and plastic additives, including those from ELVP, were detected in the ELVs. In other words, metal resources are lost, and hazardous substances are estimated to be released into the environment during the ELV treatment process. In this study, problems at each life cycle stage were identified, and improvements were proposed for the management of ELVs, including ELVP.