Issues and responses
Waste reduction and recycling in the manufacture and disposal of automobiles are also critically important issues. The ultimate goal is to eliminate waste altogether and research is continuously being carried out towards this end. In addition to the recycling of their products, automakers are also striving to dramatically reduce (by 60% or more by 2000 compared with 1990 levels) the amount of waste generated from their plants. Materials that cannot be reused or recycled are burned and the energy that is recovered is used to generate electricity.

End-of-life vehicle recycling and disposal
In Japan nearly 100% of all end-of-life vehicles (ELVs) xare recycled, with a recycling rate of 75% by vehicle weight. The auto industry hopes to increase this rate to over 90% for new vehicles manufactured after 2002 by using materials that are easier to recycle and by developing technologies that enable easier dismantling and disassembly of vehicle parts. Thus, the automobile recycling effort begins at the earliest stages of vehicle design and development in order to assure the appropriate disposal of a vehicle at the end of its service life. In addition to increased recyclability, efforts are now being made to reduce the volume of automobile shredder residue (ASR) that is generated from ELVs--and that up until now was simply disposed of in landfills--and to utilize ASR more effectively, by such means as converting it into distilled gas to recover its energy. Automobile manufacturers also help support the operations of the Association for Cooperation in Abandoned Car Disposal and a foundation that promotes the appropriate treatment of industrial waste.