Dearborn, Michigan — July 12, 2011 — Ford and supplier Recycled Polymeric Materials (RPM) have found a way to put discarded tires to good use. By combining recycled tires with bio-renewable content, they are delivering environmentally friendly seals and gaskets for Ford vehicles, says the company.
The gaskets and seals are derived from 25 percent post-consumer particulate from recycled tires and 17 percent bio-renewable content from soy, says Ford.
In total, more than 2.2 million pounds of rubber from recycled tires has been made into RPM seals and gaskets and more than 210,000 used tires have been recycled. Additionally, 150,000 pounds of soy has been used to create the materials.
The seals also offer a weight savings, with more than 1,675 tons of weight removed from Ford vehicles on the road, according to the company.
"When it comes to finding a way to use more renewable and recyclable content in our vehicles, Ford and our suppliers are looking at every part of a vehicle," said Dr. Cynthia Flanigan, technical leader, Research and Innovation. "As long as an application makes sense and upholds strict quality standards, we'll look to get these sustainable materials inside our vehicles."
The sustainable gaskets were first introduced to Ford in 2008 and have now expanded to include 11 vehicles. Ford Motor Company vehicles that feature the sustainable seals and gaskets include:
Ford Escape
Ford F-150
Ford F-250
Ford F-350
Ford Fiesta
Ford Flex
Ford Focus
Ford Mustang
Ford Taurus
Ford Transit Connect
Lincoln MKS
Eco-friendly solutions
Ford's "Reduce, reuse and recycle" commitment is part of the company's broader global sustainability strategy to reduce its environmental footprint while at the same time accelerating the development of advanced, fuel-efficient vehicle technologies around the world, says Ford
.
Over the past several years Ford has concentrated on increasing the use of recycled plastics and bio-based materials whenever possible, provided these materials are environmentally favourable and meet all durability and performance requirements. Examples include soy foam seat cushions, wheat straw-filled plastic, recycled resins for underbody systems, recycled yarns on seat covers and natural-fibre plastic for interior components.
"Our team continues to develop new technologies that reduce our environmental footprint," said Dr. Debbie Mielewski, technical leader, Plastics. "We have already been successful in incorporating soy foam seats on all North American vehicles and are actively expanding the research front into a variety of new plastics and rubber areas."
