Because a vehicle affects the environment throughout its entire life, environmental factors must be taken into account the instant the first design sketches are made. As part of our commitment to the environment, Volvo has embraced recycling as a way of reducing consumption of finite natural resources. Volvo recycling is facilitated by smart design at the product development stage, and then applied both at the beginning and end of the vehicle's useful life. But more than that, Volvo has developed a life-cycle assessment tool known as Environmental Priority Strategies in Product Design (EPS) that enables us to measure the entire environmental impact of a product. The main advantage of EPS is that it enables various factors to be weighted together to derive a common Environmental Load Unit (ELU). For example, a designer faced with the decision of whether an aluminum or steel hood is preferable, in environmental terms, can resolve the problem quickly by comparing the ELU's of the two products.

All New Volvo Models Contain Recycled Materials
Volvo, in cooperation with suppliers and the Ford Motor Company, is working to identify areas in which recycled, non-metallic materials may be used in the production of new vehicles. We currently use many recycled materials in our production process, and we pledge to continue to progressively increase the quantity of recycled materials used in new components.

Nearly All The Materials In A New Volvo Can Be Recycled
Eventually, the useful life of any vehicle - even a Volvo - will come to an end. When that time comes, our goal is that all its materials and components are either recycled or returned to the environment without harmful waste or loss of energy. Currently, the recovery rate (material recycling and energy recovery) for a new Volvo is 85% and is expected to reach 95% for 2015 models. To reach this goal, we've incorporated recycling strategies into our design and production process that help us: