Toyota Tsusho Corporation ("Toyota Tsusho") announced today that recycled plastic derived from ASR (Automotive Shredder Residue) manufactured by its Group Company K.K. Planic ("Planic") has been adopted in the underbody cover of Toyota Motor Corporation's new RAV4.

This marks the first instance of recycled compound pellets (raw material for plastic), which are primarily derived from ASR, being used as the sole material of a single component of a Toyota vehicle in Japan. It is also the second time that a Planic product has been adopted in a Toyota vehicle, following the front fender seal of the Crown "Sport" launched this past July.

The underbody cover is a large part installed on the vehicle’s underside to protect the body from flying stones, water, mud, and other debris during driving. It also contributes to improved aerodynamic performance and fuel efficiency, making it a critical part requiring high quality in terms of durability, strength, dimensional accuracy, and other factors.

ASR-derived waste plastics, are traditionally difficult to sort by material, have been considered unsuitable for use in high-quality automotive parts—unlike single-material waste plastics. Against this backdrop, Planic’s advanced sorting technology produced recycled compound pellets that met Toyota Motor’ stringent quality standards and were adopted as the sole raw material for a critical part. This marks a significant milestone in Japan’s Car to Car recycling initiative.

Currently, the European Union (EU) is debating the ELV Regulation proposal, which mandates that a portion of the plastic used in new cars be sourced from end-of-life vehicles. With similar discussions beginning in Japan, the effective utilization of end-of-life vehicle plastics and compliance with various regulations will become critical issues for Japan’s automotive industry going forward.

By promoting Car to Car recycling using ASR-derived plastics, Toyota Tsusho and Planic will contribute to the sustainable development of a circular economy and automotive industry.