A global perspective on the environmental challenges facing the automotive industry: state-of-the-art and directions for the future

Abstract

With support from the US National Science Foundation and Department of Energy, a global benchmarking study of the status of Environmentally Benign Manufacturing (EBM) has recently been completed. The study [1], completed under the aegis of the World Technology Evaluation Center at Loyola College in Maryland, gathered information on research and development around the world aimed at developing alternative methods for materials processing with the purpose of minimizing toxic material generation and optimizing products and by-products for sustainability and reuse characteristics. The study reviewed the current status of EBM research, development, and applications in the United States, Japan, and Europe with a view towards evaluating the competitive status of US efforts. Information was acquired from the technical literature as well as through visits to industry, national laboratories, universities, etc. One area of focus within the study was the automotive industry. This paper summarizes many of the key findings from the global benchmarking study that relate to the automotive industry and identifies areas that require attention for the future.

Promoting Sustainability through EMS Application: A Survey Examining the Critical Factors about EMAS Registration in Italian Organizations

“…It is important to keep in mind that results obtained from an EMS implementation can vary significantly in relation to companies' sector, dimension and national context [15,22]. Many authors focused on its application in SMEs [17,[23][24][25][26]; others stressed how its impact is different as regard to the sector of application [27] or the institutional contest [28]. Another aspect to consider is the market in which companies operate: export oriented companies tend to gain greater benefits from the certification [29].…”

Assortment planning of automotive products with considerations for economic and environmental impacts of technology selection

“…None of these models accounts for environmental considerations, and their treatment of manufacturing/supply complexity is limited. In many industries (including auto-industry), there is an increasing awareness toward addressing environmental issues in their products as well as the processes (see Transportation Research Board-National Research Council, 1997; Sutherland et al, 2004). Goldberg (1998) studies the effects of CAFE standards on automobile prices and sales and the expected environmental effects of CAFE standards.…”

Confronting the Inevitable: Iso 14001 Implementation and the Durban Automotive Cluster

“…Apart from adopting a holistic approach towards the implementation of an EMS, organisations should take note of global trends among automakers and suppliers with regard to environmental issues. In this regard, trends such as the increase in environment-related regulations in Europe and Japan in particular, challenges with regard to material development, waste reduction, alternative power usage, post-use, and supply chain management systems should be considered [20].…”