The all-new 2013 Ford Escape compact crossover SUV will use more recycled material in its interior than any Ford model to date. According to Ford materials engineer Laura Sinclair, in an Automotive News article (Dec. 5, 2011), it's all part of Ford's sustainability drive.For example, the carpets will contain about 25 20-ounce PET plastic beverage bottles. The goal is to keep 4 million bottles out of landfills every year.
The story by Bradford Wernle mentions other sustainable materials, including soy in the seat cushions and fiber from the kenaf plant in the door inserts. The dash insulation includes more than 10 pounds of scrap cotton from jeans, sweaters, T-shirts and other materials. The climate control gasket is made from recycled tires.
According to Sinclair, Ford tests all of these new materials to be sure they will wear at least as long as the stuff they replace. It's a good effort, and I expect we'll see a lot more in the future. Every bit of plastic we can recycle means less new plastic--and you know where that comes from, right? Oil.
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