German automobile giant Daimler-Benz has developed a new method of casting aluminium engine blocks that cuts carbon dioxide emissions by 36 per cent. Traditionally, the block is cast in a sand mould, cooled so that the sand can be removed from the cylinders, and reheated to 530oC to harden the metal. In the new process, a mixture of sand and resin forms the mould. The resin burns off and the sand can be blown away while the metal is being hardened, so the engine does not need to be reheated.