Ford Bumper Recycling Scheme

Ford dealers diverted 23,000 damaged bumpers from landfill last year thanks to a recycling initiative pioneered by the UK vehicle market leader.

The bumpers - equivalent to 70 tonnes of landfill - were stripped from accident-damaged cars by Ford dealers last year to be recycled into new bumpers and other plastic components.

The nationwide Ford scheme prevents the unnecessary scrapping of reusable plastic, as well as saving dealers' time, inconvenience and money.

Stephen Russell, operations director for the Ford Ringways dealership, said: "Previously, old bumpers could only be put in the skip and we had to pay for their removal."

Now dealers store the bumpers in a container that is collected free of charge by Ford. In one case, Ford Ringways saves around £15,000 a year.

Mike Rivers, Ford's end of life vehicle manager, said: "Our UK bumper recycling scheme has been another Ford environmental success, with thousands of bumpers retrieved from Ford dealers and recycled into new plastic parts last year. This has reused tonnes of plastic which would otherwise have gone to landfill."