MyAutoStore: Circular economy
Creating a circular economy for cars by de-manufacturing before recycling
What we know
components by de-manufacturing them to provide replacement parts to order.
The electrification of passenger vehicles is inevitable and the impact on carbon emissions will be significant. However, we will still be producing new internal combustion engines (ICE) until 2030 in the UK, and they typically have a life of around 15 years.
The environmental impact of creating new vehicles is also significant due to the raw materials, energy and resources consumed in production. The average environmental cost of manufacturing a new ICE car is about 20% of its lifetime emissions or 3 years of running. The environmental cost of manufacturing a new EV car is currently 40% higher than ICE, equivalent to 5.5 years of running an average ICE car.
The end of life of EVs has not been fully considered to date and is highly likely to involve de-manufacturing. De-manufacturing is a key stepping-stone to understanding the end of life implications of EVs.
My Auto Store is it is part of EMR, a global metal and plastics recycling company. The New Jersey facility is situated in a municipality that is particularly economically challenged and has so far provided employment, training and development for around 300 local people as skilled technicians and mechanics.
Ref: https://www.carbonbrief.org/factcheck-how-electric-vehicles-help-to-tackle-climate-change
What we’re doing
My Auto Store’s one-of-a-kind facility looks much like a car manufacturing plant but in reverse, with the added complexity of working with parts from hundreds of different models and brands.
When vehicles arrive on site they are stored temporarily, inventoried, and all reusable parts are immediately placed for sale in a number of online stores. These may be large parts like engines and transmissions to cosmetic items such as wing mirrors, headlights and bumpers.
After a period, the vehicles are moved to the production lines. The site currently has four lines running at any one time. The start of each line involves a rigorous de-pollution process, which removes any hazardous liquids or items such as oil, coolant and batteries. They then move through a number of de-manufacturing cells to remove the parts to order.
When the My Auto Store site reaches full capacity, it will process as many as 100,000 vehicles per year. This will mean redeploying over one million parts for re-use with a further 175,000 tonnes of steel recycled.
What it’s worth
Camden, a once-iconic city, has become the most distressed municipality in the state of New Jersey, in part because its formerly diverse manufacturing base, ranging from shipbuilding to RCA, largely evaporated as the 20th century progressed. While other cities like neighbouring Philadelphia experienced economic rejuvenation, Camden lost a third of its population and nearly 90% of its jobs. By the dawn of the 21st century, it had become one of the poorest cities in America, located in one of the wealthiest states in the nation.
Vehicle de-manufacturing broadly requires the same mechanical skills as the manufacturing process and is labour intensive. The $50m investment has so far resulted in the direct creation of around 300 skilled jobs in an area where good jobs can be hard to find.
Testimonial
At MyAutoStore, we know we’re doing something special, using innovative technology and skills to give useable car parts another lease of life before recycling them to the highest standards. What we do reduces waste and keeps cars on the road for longer. The environmental benefits are clear and I’m proud MyAutoStore is playing a vital role in building a truly circular automotive industry. Camden has become the most distressed municipality in the state of New Jersey, in part because its formerly diverse manufacturing base, ranging from shipbuilding to RCA, largely evaporated as the 20th century progressed. While other cities like neighbouring Philadelphia experienced economic rejuvenation, Camden lost a third of its population and nearly 90% of its jobs. By the dawn of the 21st century, it had become one of the poorest cities in America, located in one of the wealthiest states in the nation.
Joe Balzano MyAutoStore
