Environmental hazardous substances were extensively used in Automotive industry. Forget about the poisonous emissions form them, I am looking for the materials that were used to build the automotive right from the powertrain(engine).
How the Environment is getting affected?
There are many materials which are ahazardous to environmental when they are exposed. Encounter with environment is inevitable after the shelf life of automotive(say car), certain elements like Lead, cadmium, mercury, chromium(+6) which cannot be decomposed are very dangerous to environment. Added to these there are certain paints/coatings/solders which are hazardous and are necessary for a car.
Any measures to check?
There is a forum formed by European Union and United states for End of life vehicle-IMDS(Internation Material Data System). According to this, any OEM(original equipment manufacturer) has to be in compliance with End of life vehicle directive released by the union. All materials used for car manufacture are archived and maintained, only in this way is it possible to meet the obligations placed on car manufacturers, and thus on their suppliers, by national and international standards, laws and regulations. It is after the approval process from this union only, OEM can process the manufacturing of their automobiles.This law is applicable even for tier 1 suppliers as well.
What is ELV ?
ELV is End of life vehicle that is to scrap the vehicle after certain period. This is the commom practice followed in many countries mainly European union and Americas. Evolution of ELV directive has set norms on percentage usage of prohibited materials and secret substances(which manufacturer doesn't want to disclose).
But in some asian countries don't even have the scrapping yard for automobiles and hence they don't recycle the materials used for automotive.
How to control?
Although ELV Directive has taken stringent steps to stop the usage of prohibited materials, alternates has to be provided for prohibited substances. Certain substances like solders which contain Lead, cannot be replaced with any other materials. New ideas and techniques has to plung in for substituting the prohibited substnces.
ELV directive should be made as mandatory for all OEM through out the world and there has to be a legal body to check.
For the list of Automobile community which are in compliance with ELV(IMDS) please check the below link: www.mdsystem.com
http://www.mdsystem.com/
