Ford has announced plans to harness the damaging greenhouse gas carbon dioxide and use it to make its manufacturing processes more environmentally friendly.
The carmaker this week unveiled a proposal to capture CO2 and use it to create a foam that can then be used in the manufacture of seats and various other plastic parts.
Many such components rely heavily on oil for their production – plastic manufacturing accounts for 4 per cent of global oil use. Ford says that as well as reducing the CO2 emitted into the atmosphere the move will also reduce manufacturing's reliance on oil.
It estimates that by using the CO2-based foam, it could reduce petroleum use by 2,700 tonnes a year.
Debbie Mielewski, Ford's senior technical leader of sustainability, said: "This technology is exciting because it is contributing to solving a seemingly insurmountable problem – climate change.
"We are thrilled to be leading the charge toward reducing carbon emissions and the effects of climate change."
Ford says it expects components made using the foam to be in its vehicles within five years.
