Nissan recycles

TOKYO: Nissan plans to recycle 90 percent of parts from scrapped cars, on a weight basis, for new models introduced in and after 2000.

The plan is based on an initiative drawn up last year by the Ministry of International Trade and Industry, aiming to raise the recycling ratio to 90 percent for all car models to be marketed from 2002.

Toyota has already drawn up its own action plan which will surpass the ministry-instructed target by two years.

Nissan's adoption of a similar plan will affect the entire industry, given the emerging consumer desire for more "environmentally friendly" cars, analysts say.

Nissan said a number of studies for meeting the plan are under way, including development of methods to reuse such auto parts as seats for new cars and feasibility studies on low-cost dismantling of cars to retrieve parts.