On Wednesday, Honda Moto Co. announced that as part of an increased
effort to go green and be environmentally friendly, the car manufacturer
will begin recycling
rare earth materials this year from the batteries used in hybrid cars.
As a whole, Japan is heavily dependent on imports to get its rare earth
elements, especially from China. While the materials are invaluable for
the manufacturing of high-tech consumer electronics, ongoing tensions
with China pose a threat to Japan’s supply.
Honda claims that they will be the first in the auto industry to
start rare earth recycling, with the hopes of a September or October
launch. Takanobu Ito, Honda’s president, commented that the future of
Japan’s energy policy has become uncertain in the wake of the Fukushima
nuclear disaster, and there is no better time than now to make a push
towards the use of renewable energy sources. Ito also said that Honda is
making efforts to decrease pollution and its contribution to global
warming, and one day hopes to make cars that combine the company’s
fuel-cell technology with solar power, creating a car that runs on
energy from nature only.
The Honda president pointed to founder Soichiro Honda’s focus on the
environment, and how he would tell workers that everyone in the auto
industry is responsible for trying to reduce emissions. Prior to Honda’s
entrance into the U.S. market, the company had set a goal for building a
fuel-efficient gasoline engine, in order to pass the country’s strict
regulations against pollution. Honda created its legendary CVCC engine
in the 1970s, and was the world’s first auto maker to clear the
standard. Shortly after, regulations against pollution were also adopted
in Japan.
Source;
http://japandailypress.com/a-greener-honda-car-company-to-recycle-hybrid-batteries-for-rare-earths-204805
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