Sustainable materials in the Ioniq 5: Hyundai and Healthy Seas

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Sustainable materials in the Ioniq 5: Hyundai and Healthy Seas-healthy

Automaker Hyundai has released some details about its collaboration with Healthy Seas. Since April 2021, the two companies have planned and carried out eleven actions to protect the seas in seven European countries. The aim of the joint activities is to create a sustainable society by fighting ocean pollution and protecting marine ecosystems. The collected waste is recycled as part of a circular economy – and is used in electric cars.

Joint activities include beach clean-ups and dives to salvage discarded fishing nets. In order to sensitize society to ecological damage in the environment in the long term, the campaigns are supplemented by courses in which local school children in particular are informed about the relevance of clean oceans. “It’s not enough to be at the forefront of clean and forward-thinking mobility solutions, we must also protect the underwater world,” says Michael Cole, President and CEO of Hyundai Motor Europe. What has been achieved so far is “great” and the joint activities are to be further expanded in the coming year.

In Germany, a campaign last took place in September. Together with the actor and Hyundai partner Lenn Kudrjawizki, Hyundai Motor Germany took part in the major “North Sea clean-up” off the island of Norderney. The Lower Saxony island was chosen for the campaign because it is close to one of the busiest shipping routes in the world and there are naturally many wrecks here, in which abandoned fishing nets, so-called ghost nets, often get caught.

Waste becomes sustainable products

Hyundai describes itself as a pioneer in terms of sustainable and innovative mobility solutions and supports the clean-up of the world’s oceans as part of its global strategy. Hyundai and Healthy Seas have established a circular economy in line with the company’s vision “Progress for Humanity”. Along with other nylon waste, Aquafil, a founding partner of Healthy Seas, recycles ghost nets into Econyl. This yarn is used for sustainable products such as swimwear and carpets.

Since the market launch of the Hyundai Ioniq 5, European customers have had the option of ordering sustainable Econyl floor mats for the battery-electric E-CUV.

Since the partnership began in April 2021, Hyundai has financially supported Healthy Seas to implement clean-up and awareness-raising activities across Europe. The first joint action with Hyundai took place in Ithaca, Greece, in June. A storm had previously blown nets and other working materials from an abandoned fishery into the sea, threatening the marine ecosystem there.

Sustainable materials in the Ioniq 5: Hyundai and Healthy Seas-sustainableHyundai

As part of this first collaboration, clean-up actions took place in the sea and on the beaches. Waste collected has been re- and upcycled or properly disposed of. Local islanders were also educated on marine litter and ghost nets.

To date, this has been Healthy Seas’ most significant project in terms of environmental protection, but also for local societal benefit. Thanks to the 45 participants, 20 divers and 15 organizations, the event has achieved remarkable results in a short time, as Hyundai reports. The team cleaned up a total of four beaches and two bays at depths of up to 30 meters and recovered five tons of fishing nets, 32 tons of metal and 39 tons of plastic waste, including 150 bags of polystyrene balls.

Diving campaigns protect biodiversity

Hyundai is supporting Healthy Seas with the organization and logistics surrounding the dives conducted this year around Ijmuiden in the Netherlands, Lampedusa in Italy, Newcastle in the UK, Norderney in Germany and Tossa del Mar in Spain. 78 tons of garbage in the form of ghost nets, crab and lobster cages as well as lead and other waste have already been recovered.

“We are very grateful for the partnership with Hyundai because it enables us to carry out projects that have a positive impact on the environment on a scale we could never have imagined. Hyundai is a pleasure to work with and we look forward to achieving even more in the coming year.“ – Veronika Mikos, Director Healthy Seas

In addition to the underwater clean-ups, the collaboration includes classes for school children in Valencia, Ijmuiden in the Netherlands, Milan, Paris, Costa Brava in Spain and on the island of Sylt. In addition to interactive presentations on marine conservation and the phenomenon of ghost nets, the more than 900 children were able to take part in the beach activities themselves, gain experience with the Healthy Seas virtual reality program, play educational games and look at salvaged nets.

Sustainable materials in the Ioniq 5: Hyundai and Healthy Seas-materialsHyundai

Healthy Seas is dedicated to ridding the seas of litter, especially fishing nets, to support the health of marine ecosystems and create a circular economy. Aquafil converts the recovered fishing nets into a yarn called Econyl, a raw material from which new products such as socks, swimwear and carpets are made. Since its inception in 2013, Healthy Seas has collected more than 585 tons of fishing nets with the help of volunteer divers and fishermen.

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