A senior representative of MSIL said the automobile organization has planned to adopt a new procedure of metal plating in all its future cars. The intra-valent chrome would be replaced with the extra-valent chrome, which would completely change the metal surface treatment processes. In accordance to this, most of its vendors have been asked by the concerned authorities of the MSIL to adopt the new ecological balanced process and use eco-friendly materials in their manufacturing. Besides, it is likely that all its vendors will switch over to these newly adopted technologies by 2010.
Shinzo Nakanishi, MD and CEO of Maruti Suzuki India Limited said "We stand a chance to have the eco-car in the Indian market." He added "It fits well into our product mix and we could utilise the Indo-Thai trade pact to bring in components at low taxes, thus making the car price-competitive for Indian customers."
The ELV directive in the EU covers the disposal of vehicles and their components. Four heavy metals whose use has been severely curtailed on all vehicles sold in the EU since July 1, 2003 have been sorted out. The metals are - lead, mercury, cadmium and hexavalent chromium. An amendment was done to the directive which stated that the maximum concentration values of 0.1 wt per cent for lead and mercury and 0.01 wt per cent for cadmium. This value was later incorporated and established for each homogeneous material in a vehicle. The norms would be applied to any on-road vehicle equipment capable of speeds greater than 25 kph.
However the ELV norms excluded off-road vehicles, railcars, mining and agricultural equipment and vintage cars. Besides, ELV focuses on producing, dismantling and recycling vehicles in a more eco-friendly manner thereby establishing clear quantified targets for reuse, recycling and recovery of vehicles and their components. What's more, the ELV pushes the manufacturers to build new vehicles with a view to their recyclability.
