Vehicles at their end of their life can now be properly dismantled and their materials recycled thanks to the new End-of-Life Vehicle (ELV) dismantling facility, the first of its kind, in Pampanga. Operated by En Tsumugi ELV Dismantler Corporation, the facility is a significant milestone in the Philippine automotive industry’s push for a responsible management system for ELVs, or those vehicles with components classified by the local authorities as waste.
The facility, open to various car makes, will serve as a benchmark in further developing the local recycling industry while promoting environmental sustainability and the adoption of best practices and foreign expertise.
It is a wholly-owned venture of local metal recycling companies Supreme Mile Trading Corp. (SMTC) and CoroCrown Corporation. This dismantling company is a result of a pilot project led by Japanese ELV dismantler Tsuruoka Co., Ltd. and financially supported by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). Several Japanese businesses, including Toyota Motor Corporation (Toyota) and Mitsui & Co., Ltd., provided business development and technical assistance.
Automotive leader Toyota has endorsed En Tsumugi ELV Dismantler Corporation as a model End-of-Life Vehicle (ELV) dismantling facility. Through its local unit, Toyota Motor Philippines Corporation (TMP), Toyota's involvement in the project includes providing technical support in various areas, such as environmental compliance, facility design, dismantling methodology, equipment requirements, and hazardous waste management.
Furthermore, TMP donated five ELVs, including one hybrid electric vehicle, to En Tsumugi as training units for further equipping and enhancing of the facility's capabilities.
Toyota Global 100 Dismantlers Project
“The establishment of a local ELV dismantler aligns with the goals of the ‘Toyota Global 100 Dismantlers Project,’ which aims to establish a network of proper ELV dismantling facilities worldwide,” said TMP President, Masando Hashimoto, during the inauguration ceremony of En Tsumugi in Pampanga.
The project seeks to address the environmental challenges posed by ELVs, such as pollution and resource depletion, by promoting proper dismantling and recycling practices, which also contributes to reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
At the same event, TMP bestowed its Certificate of Gratitude to En Tsumugi. Hashimoto also mentioned that En Tsumugi is the fourth (4th) ELV dismantler in the Southeast Asian region to receive this endorsement, following similar facilities in Thailand, Vietnam, and Malaysia.
Toyota implements the Toyota Global 100 Dismantlers Project as part of its efforts towards “Establishing a Recycling-based Society and System” under the Toyota Environmental Challenge 2050, which was globally introduced in 2015.