Toyota Tsusho : Considers Commercializing End-of-Life Vehicle Airbag Recycling in Japan- Contributing to the Realization of a Circulating Society through the Recycling of Automotive Parts –

Toyota Tsusho Corporation (“Toyota Tsusho”) announced today that it will collaborate with recycle material manufacturer Refinverse, Inc. (“Refinverse”) to consider the feasibility of commercializing end-of-life vehicle airbag collection and recycling in Japan. A collection and recycling demonstration began in November toward commercialization.

Over 3 million end-of-life vehicles are scrapped annually in Japan. Currently, parts that require special processing, such as chlorofluorocarbons and airbag explosive agents, are recycled through subsidies. However, heat recovery through incineration is used for parts that are difficult to recycle or difficult to utilize even if recycled, such as airbags and interior materials.

Refinverse has developed and possesses its own mass production technology that separates and removes contaminants from airbags and other parts to a high degree and carries out material recycling*. In addition, Toyota Tsusho has been involved in the end-of-life vehicle recycling business since the 1970s and has accumulated knowledge and a collection network based on its long track record. Now, Toyota Tsusho will consider the possibility of starting a business in collaboration with Refinverse that collects end-of-life vehicle airbags, which have previously been incinerated, and recycles them by utilizing contaminant separation technology. If this recycling process is established, it can reduce CO₂ emissions generated during incineration and enable the operation of a low-carbon airbag manufacturing business, thereby contributing to the realization of a circular economy.

* Material recycling: Recycling that uses waste as raw material and reuses goods as goods

Toyota Tsusho plans to commence a recycling business for nylon airbag scraps at its airbag manufacturing plant in Vietnam from April 2023. It is working to build a value chain toward carbon neutrality throughout the entire airbag lifecycle.

Toyota Tsusho will contribute to the transition to a carbon neutral society by promoting circular economy businesses which recycle wastes and accelerating businesses that contribute toward reducing greenhouse gases through the industrial lifecycle, all for passing on a better global environment to our children of the future.