No Bumpers in the Landfill
UT, Saturn Corp., and the Environmental Protection Agency are showing the
way to design a "green" car.
Researchers are looking at the life of a car--from creation to disposal--to
increase recyclability and promote environmentally friendly manufacturing.
UT's Center for Clean Products and Clean Technologies is directing the two-year,
$750,000 project.
Researchers will develop an interactive computer program that automobile
designers at Saturn can use to assess the environmental impact of all phases
of a car's life.
It's difficult for designers to weigh environmental impact along with other
factors, says Gary Davis, head of the clean products center.
"Some light weight plastics that make cars more fuel efficient are
difficult to recycle. Some metals are heavier and less fuel efficient but
are more readily recycled."
Saturn, which has its plant in Spring Hill, Tennessee, has been an industrial
partner of UTK since 1985. EPA is providing $450,000 for the project, Saturn
$200,000, and UTK $100,000.
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