BASF, Porsche and technology partner BEST have successfully completed a pilot project that demonstrates how complex waste streams from end-of-life vehicles can be kept in circulation. The project focused on automotive shredder residues, which are often considered difficult to recycle and are usually incinerated, and explored how they could be turned into valuable raw materials for plastics.
At the core of the initiative was a gasification process that converts these residues into synthesis gas. This gas can fully replace fossil feedstocks and serve as the basis for circular intermediate products. Within BASF’s production network, these intermediates were processed into plastics used in automotive applications, including steering wheel components. The project thus proves that even problematic waste fractions can become a source of new materials.
The partners emphasized that chemical recycling is not intended to replace mechanical recycling, but to complement it. While mechanical recycling works well for clean and single-polymer plastics, gasification provides a solution for mixed, contaminated or otherwise non-recyclable materials. Through the mass balance approach, the use of these circular feedstocks can be documented, ensuring transparency and measurable CO₂ savings.
The outcome of the project underlines the potential for circularity in the automotive industry: from vehicles to shredder residues, gasification and back to plastic components. This closes material loops, reduces waste and decreases dependence on fossil resources, marking an important step toward a more sustainable industry.
