Toyota Motor Corporation Circular Economy Technologies at Automotive World

On January 21–23, Toyota Motor Corporation is exhibiting at the 18th Automotive World at Tokyo Big Sight, presenting a broad range of circular economy initiatives. The showcase highlights how Toyota Motor Corporation circular economy technologies are being embedded across vehicle design, material sourcing, and recycling processes to reduce environmental impact at scale.
Toyota has announced a new global target to increase the use of recycled materials to more than 30% by 2030. This means that, on average, at least 30% of materials used in new Toyota vehicles produced after 2030 will be recycled content. Previously limited to Japan and Europe, this target has now been expanded worldwide, signaling a company-wide commitment to sustainable manufacturing.
Toyota Motor Corporation Circular Economy Technologies in Vehicle Recycling
A key exhibit focuses on recycling technology for end-of-life vehicles, particularly the reuse of Automobile Shredder Residue (ASR). In conventional vehicle recycling, after removing engines, tires, batteries, and other detachable components, vehicle bodies are compressed and shredded. The resulting shredder dust is typically used only for heat recovery.
Toyota’s newly presented process enables material reuse instead of disposal. The recycling sequence includes:

• Size-based sifting to remove glass and fine resin particles

• Wind sorting to eliminate light materials such as urethane and fibers

• Float and sink sorting to separate high-density plastics from low-density plastics, mainly polypropylene (PP)

After additional purification, the recovered PP can be reused as recycled resin. This material is already being applied in production vehicles, including the undercover component of the RAV4 released in December 2025.
Design Innovations Supporting Easy Vehicle Dismantling
Another highlight demonstrates an easy-to-dismantle vehicle structure designed to improve recycling efficiency. Toyota has integrated dismantling-friendly features at the design stage to simplify part removal from scrapped vehicles.
Key innovations include:

• Wiring harnesses marked with yellow-green tape at easily retrievable locations, visible even to heavy machinery

• Pull-tab grounding terminals that allow wiring to be removed by simply pulling the cables

• Clearly marked fuel tank positions to ensure safe and reliable fuel removal during disassembly

These measures significantly reduce dismantling time while improving worker safety and material recovery rates.
Beyond structural and recycling technologies, Toyota is also showcasing applications of recycled materials across vehicle interiors. Examples include dashboard silencers produced from old clothing, demonstrating how waste textiles can be reintegrated into automotive components.
Together, these initiatives underline how Toyota Motor Corporation circular economy technologies are advancing material reuse, improving recycling efficiency, and supporting the transition toward a more sustainable automotive value chain without compromising product performance or safety.