How Ford Is Reducing Their Carbon Footprint Through Recycling

One of the problems with standard manufacturing technology is the creation of scrap metal. Some plants sell the scrap metal to other companies for reuse. But, according to Green Car Reports, a Ford plant in Dearborn, Michigan has started to recycle scrap aluminum right off the factory floor in the manufacture of parts for the F-150 pickup truck.

Roughly 30 to 40 percent of aluminum used for stamping out body panels becomes scrap during the process. Ford ships the scrap aluminum back to its suppliers to be recycled, shipped back to the Ford plant and reused.

Recycling aluminum rather than using newly refined aluminum eliminates 95 percent of greenhouse gasses associated with the production of the metal. The energy requirements and thus the cost of recycling aluminum are lower, as well. Ford uses 656 pounds of aluminum to stamp out the doors, tailgate, and hoods of the F-150. Since it recycles 20 million pounds of the metal every month, it saves enough to build parts for 30,000 trucks.

All in all, the process has caused the F-150 to have the lowest carbon footprint for a vehicle of its class over its lifetime, including manufacturing and operation.  

Ford also uses recycled plastic drink bottles to make seat belts and used clothing for insulation.

The Jaguar Land Rover also uses recycled aluminum to build the XE small sedan. Since the vehicle went on sale in the United States, 55,000 tons of scrap aluminum has been used to build the land rover. That’s enough of the metal to build parts for 300,000 XEs.