Eight of Japan's 12 automakers declared they have formed a joint organisation to recycle automobile shredder residue (ASR). The move is aimed at meeting a car-recycling law that will take effect in January 2005.

The Japan Times reports that ASR is one of the products carmakers will be required to recover and recycle under the Vehicle Recycling Law. The latter will compel automakers to dispose of and recycle shredded scraps from disused vehicles.

The eight automakers in question are Nissan Motor Co., Mitsubishi Motors Corp., Mazda Motor Corp., Suzuki Motor Corp., Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd., Isuzu Motors Ltd., Nissan Diesel Motor Co. and Mitsubishi Fuso Truck & Bus Corp.

The joint organization, dubbed the Automobile Shredder Residue Recycling Promotion Team, will supervise ASR recycling operations for the eight companies in order to slash recycling costs, the companies said in a statement.

Tyres, bumpers and metal parts from disused automobiles are now recycled by scrappers.

But shredded scraps, including those from windows, resins used for interiors, and urethane, are not recycled due to their high recycling costs, and are mostly dumped