Assessing Environmental Impact Reduction through the Reuse of End-of-Life Vehicle Components: The Case Study of EcoEuro

The automotive sector is a key player in modern transportation and a significant contributor to global environmental challenges, including greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, resource depletion, and energy consumption. With road transport responsible for nearly 20% of global CO2 emissions, the need for sustainable end-of-life vehicle (ELV) management has never been more urgent. ELVs contain a wealth of valuable materials—metals, plastics, glass, and electronics—that, when managed properly, can reduce the environmental burden of the automotive industry. While recycling has been a traditional focus, component reuse offers an even more sustainable alternative by extending the lifecycle of automotive parts and preserving their functional value. Reuse presents unique environmental advantages, such as reducing resource extraction and energy-intensive recycling processes, while maintaining the integrity of components. Despite its potential, the widespread adoption of reuse strategies faces significant barriers, including insufficient data on reusable components, limited understanding of their environmental benefits, and regional regulatory inconsistencies. These challenges are particularly pronounced in Italy, where the reuse of ELV components remains underexplored compared to the well-established recycling practices. This research aims to address this gap by investigating the environmental benefits and challenges of ELV component reuse within the Italian market. Conducted in collaboration with Ecoeuro S.r.l., a leader in ELV management, the study applies Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodologies to evaluate reuse strategies. Through a comprehensive review of existing LCA frameworks, the research identifies best practices for defining functional units, setting system boundaries, and selecting impact categories to assess the environmental performance of reuse. The study also highlights critical challenges, such as data quality, allocation rules, and regulatory fragmentation, offering insights into how these issues can be addressed to enable more effective and scalable reuse strategies. By focusing on the reuse of ELV components, this research contributes to advancing circular economy principles in the automotive sector. It underscores the importance of data-driven assessments, regulatory harmonization, and industry collaboration to overcome existing barriers. Ultimately, this work seeks to support the transition toward more sustainable automotive practices in Italy, providing a framework that aligns with global sustainability goals while addressing the specific needs of the Italian context.