China Launches Roadmap for Promoting Recycled Materials in Vehicles to Advance Green Circular Development in Auto Industry

The China Automotive Strategy and Policy Research Center and the China Association of Circular Economy recently officially launched in Beijing the drafting process for the "Roadmap for Promoting the Application of Recycled Materials in Vehicles (2026–2030)." This roadmap will focus on research into application targets, implementation pathways, and supporting measures for recycled materials in vehicles over the next five years, with particular emphasis on their use in automotive frames, bodies, wheels, glass, and interior/exterior components. Currently, certain recycled materials—such as recycled plastics and recycled aluminum—are gradually being incorporated into vehicle interior parts, structural body components, and some functional parts. With ongoing technological advancements, recycled materials are expected to achieve broader application breakthroughs across more vehicle models and components. Given the automotive industry’s stringent requirements for material performance, safety, and stability, the roadmap will also prioritize key areas including material standards, quality certification, application validation, and supply chain collaboration. According to relevant officials, the roadmap aims to clarify “how to use recycled materials, who should use them, how much to use, and how to promote their adoption,” thereby fostering a unified consensus on goals, technical requirements, and application pathways. It seeks to enhance coordination among upstream and downstream enterprises and facilitate the transition of recycled materials from isolated pilot applications toward large-scale deployment. Previously, in December 2023, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) and other government departments issued the "Action Plan for Promoting the Application of Recycled Materials," which calls for establishing a robust waste recycling system by 2030 and progressively building standardized frameworks and certification systems for promoting recycled materials. The plan sets specific targets: by 2030, annual recycling volumes of scrap steel and waste paper should exceed 300 million tons and 80 million tons, respectively, while annual production of recycled non-ferrous metals and recycled plastics should surpass 25 million tons and 19.5 million tons, respectively. It also mandates steadily increasing the substitution rate of recycled materials in sectors such as automotive, electronics and electrical appliances, textiles, and packaging. The action plan encourages automakers—while meeting requirements for hazardous substance control and material recyclability—to increase the use of recycled steel, recycled non-ferrous metals, and recycled glass in vehicle frames, bodies, glass, and wheels based on component performance and product characteristics. It further urges automakers to pioneer large-scale adoption of recycled plastics in interior and exterior trim components. Additionally, the plan supports collaboration among automakers, end-of-life vehicle dismantlers, recycled material processors, and component manufacturers to jointly establish closed-loop supply chains for recycled materials.