Toronto, Ontario — The Automotive Recyclers Association (ARA) says Ford’s decision to end its lighting and bumper fascia core recovery program on June 1 could have a negative environmental impact.
ARA Executive Director Sandy Blalock said the organization is concerned about the environmental impact, but it is “confident the replacement parts market will find a solution to appropriately recovering and recycling these components.”
According to a statement sent to auto repair facilities from Ford, the automaker ended the two initiatives in response to “requests from dealers and collision repairers seeking a more streamlined parts management process.” Both programs had been in place for roughly a decade before being cancelled by Ford.
The ARA said a 2012 statement from Ford Recycling and Remanufacturing manager Kim Goering referred to the program as demonstrating the automaker’s commitment to doing “whatever we can to extend the life of these components. Even more important, however, is that Ford strongly believes it’s just the right thing to do from an environmental perspective.”
Ford’s aluminum wheel core program will continue as usual, according to the automaker’s document.
