For almost 20 years, Ford has been fully committed to research and development of sustainable alternatives to traditional build materials. Currently, the automaker uses recycled tires in its mirror gaskets, recycled t-shirts and denim in its carpets, and, most recently, recycled plastic bottles in the REPREVE fabric for the 2016 F-150.
Last week, Ford announced that is the first automaker in the industry to develop and test new foam components using carbon dioxide as feedstock. The new biomaterial could help Ford reduce its use of petroleum by more than 600 million pounds per year, and researchers expect it to be implemented in new Ford vehicles within the next five years.
“Ford is working aggressively to lower its environmental impact by reducing its use of petroleum-based plastic and foam,” said Debbie Mielewski, Ford senior technical leader of sustainability. “This technology is exciting because it is contributing to solving a seemingly insurmountable problem – climate change. We are thrilled to be leading the charge toward reducing carbon emissions and the effects of climate change.”
".@Ford Turning Captured CO2 Into Car Parts, Expanding Healthcare Outreach in Africa https://t.co/wt7GZECo2x"
— Sustainable Brands (@SustainBrands) May 17, 2016