Ford Has A Plan To Make Car Parts Out Of Tomatoes

Ford on Tuesday announced plans to turn Heinz tomato waste into material for its vehicles, according to Popular Science.

Specifically, the car company would take dried tomato skins, manufacture them into small pellets, and use them for the car's wiring brackets or small storage bins (like the ones that hold your coins).

According to Ford, Heinz uses two million tons of tomatoes annually for its ketchup - whose waste could be turned into a lot of wiring brackets.

"We are delighted that the technology has been validated," said Vidhu Nagpal, associate director, packaging R&D for Heinz. "Although we are in the very early stages of research, and many questions remain, we are excited about the possibilities this could produce for both Heinz and Ford, and the advancement of sustainable 100% plant-based plastics."

They believe by reusing tomato fiber, they can reduce the amount of petroleum chemicals in manufacturing and their impact on the road.

Ford also has collaborations with Coca-Cola, Nike, and Procter & Gamble to work on sustainability in manufacturing.

Check out their infographic below: