A new regulation sets binding targets and forces the whole industry to think recycling from the design stage

The auto industry consumes several million tonnes of plastic every year. A modern car is 15 to 20 percent plastic by weight, or between 210 and 240 kilograms. Europe now wants to regulate that material.

Adopted by the European Parliament on June 18, 2026, and in force since August 13, the new end-of-life vehicles regulation sets, for the first time, binding recycled-plastic targets for new cars. Manufacturers will have to include at least 15 percent recycled plastic within six years (around 2032), rising to 25 percent within ten years (around 2036). At least 20 percent of that plastic must come from end-of-life vehicles or used parts to close the loop.

The regulation also requires vehicles that are easier to dismantle and that offer better traceability. The upshot: the whole industry must rethink recycling from the moment parts are designed. While the rules are European, automakers design globally, and the push toward a circular economy concerns recyclers and distributors here as well.

Source(s) image : Journal l’automobile