Management of the end-of-life of light and heavy vehicles in the U.S.: comparison with the European union in a circular economy perspective

In a context of transition towards a more circular economy (CE), this study undertakes an analysis of the appropriate transfers and applications of best managerial practices, regulations, and know-how from the automotive sector to the heavy vehicle one, as well as from the European Union (EU) to the United States of America (U.S.), and vice versa. While the EU appears to be a few steps ahead of policy activity regarding the management of end-of-life automotive vehicles (Directive 2000/53/EC and Extended Producer Responsibility principles), the U.S. heavy vehicle industry presents several aspirational industrial practices, including the collaboration between end-of-life actors, supporting parts remanufacturing and facilitating reuse. New empirical findings and lessons learned from both geographical regions are combined with the previous analyses to develop a benchmarking template of commendable CE practices. Against this background, the findings open on the remaining challenges and circular economy opportunities for both regions, as well as for emerging and newly industrialized countries, whose automotive markets are growing fast.