Although China has introduced policies related to the recycling and dismantling of end-of-life vehicles and the utilization of recycled materials, the weak enforcement, lack of specific implementation details, and inadequate regulatory measures have led to poor adherence by many automobile manufacturers and suppliers. As a result, the effectiveness of these policies in practical application is significantly diminished.
The recycled materials market faces severe technical challenges. The composite nature of automotive plastics presents significant difficulties for sorting technologies, which are currently incapable of effectively managing this complexity. Additionally, the high standards required by the automotive industry further increase the difficulty of recycling technologies. Recycling modified plastics is far more challenging than single-material plastics, and since most automotive plastics are modified, this greatly complicates the recycling process. These technical bottlenecks hinder the ability of recycled materials to meet market demands in terms of quality and performance, restricting market development.
The costs associated with the recycling, reprocessing, and subsequent handling of recycled plastics are relatively high, often making the overall cost of recycled plastics higher than that of virgin plastics. This poses significant economic pressure on automobile manufacturers considering the use of recycled plastics, providing them with insufficient motivation to promote recycled materials. In the absence of economic incentives and policy support, companies are more inclined to use the cheaper virgin plastics, further limiting the development of the recycled materials market.
The absence of a comprehensive data traceability platform in the recycled plastics industry chain results in isolated information across different stages of the supply chain. This not only affects the accuracy and traceability of information but also increases the difficulty and cost of quality control for recycled materials. Moreover, the lack of such a platform reduces the transparency of the supply chain, making it difficult for consumers and regulatory bodies to effectively supervise recycled material products. This undermines consumer trust in recycled products and limits the market's development potential.
In China, public awareness and acceptance of recycled materials are relatively low. Many people have doubts about the quality, performance, and safety of recycled materials, believing they do not meet the standards of virgin materials. This perception is influenced by the short history of recycled material applications in China and the lack of related educational outreach. Additionally, the insufficient penetration of environmental awareness among some consumers affects their acceptance of recycled material products.
