Germany is in the fast lane as recycling gains speed

The European automotive sector is gearing up to recycle plastics from 14 million vehicles scrapped each year. While European actions remain largely voluntary, German legislation being drafted - and expected to be completed by July - will require 20% of plastics to be recycled by 1995 and 50% by 2000. The German automotive industry and its material suppliers got a head start on the legislation by forming PRAVDA, which is developing auto recycling projects and uses for recycled materials. Dow Europe's (Horgen, Switzerland) director/environmental issues - plastics, John O'Neill says that the German automotive sector has been successful in that proposed legislation does take into account what is possible.