Sustainable Interior Choices

New interior technologies demonstrate how sustainability and performance can be aligned, but adoption in India's commercial vehicles remains limited

- Sahil Kesari.

India generates approximately 160,000 tonnes of municipal solid waste each day, of which around 10,000 tonnes is plastic.

Annually, nearly 20 billion PET bottles are sold, a significant portion of which often ends up in landfills or waterways. Concurrently, new End-of-Life Vehicle (ELV) and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regulations are urging automakers to design vehicles that are easier to dismantle and recycle.

For decades, however, cabin carpets, insulation, and panels were built from layers of foams, plastics, and adhesives that delivered comfort but resisted recycling. At the end of a vehicle's life, these interiors became waste, adding to India's already overflowing landfills. With rules mandating higher recyclability and recycled content, interiors have moved from styling choices to compliance priorities.

Designing With One Material

At the heart of the change in interiors are mono-material systems. In simple terms, this means replacing the old mix of foams, plastics, and adhesives with components made from just one type of material. The most common choice is recycled PET (polyethene terephthalate), the same plastic used in bottles and packaging. The use in tyres is already catching speed with most recently 50 per cent and 90 per cent sustainable tyres being launched by CEAT as testimony.