What is scrap metal used for? Scrap metal is used for manufacturing and construction. But what else?

Scrap metal recycling plays a crucial role in today’s eco-conscious world by reducing landfill waste, conserving energy and lowering the environmental footprint associated with metal production. This blog will explore the many uses of scrap metal and highlight its benefits for both the environment and the economy.

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What Scrap Metal Is Used For

Here are some of the common things that scrap metal is used for:

Manufacturing New Products

Scrap metal is the cornerstone for many manufacturing industries. Scrap metals like aluminium, copper, and steel are melted down and repurposed into a huge variety of new products.

This can be on a small scale, such as copper being used for electrical wiring and plumbing, or on a much larger industrial scale, such as aluminium being used for the production of cars and planes.

The most widely recognised use of scrap metals however is probably in the manufacturing of food and drink packaging. In fact, the aluminium in your recycling bin today can make its way back to a supermarket shelf in around 60 days! This use of scrap metal helps manufacturers save on raw materials and reduce their costs and energy consumption.

Infrastructure Development

Governments and construction companies are often looking for sustainable approaches for urban development so tend to use scrap metal for their infrastructure projects. Recycled steel, for example, is a vital component in building bridges, roads, train tracks and buildings.

Recycling metals on a large scale like this reduces the need for mining and other environmentally damaging methods of metal production. Plus, recycling scrap metal helps to create jobs in the collection, processing and manufacturing sectors – a win-win!

Art and Craftsmanship

Scrap metal is also used by artists and craftsmen who are looking to creatively repurpose materials for their sculptures, furniture and home décor items. For example, some artists use scrap metal to create unique wine racks, clocks and lighting features in their homes.

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Choosing to sell your scrap metal to a certified recycling centre like A&L Recycling is the most environmentally friendly way to dispose of unwanted scrap – it can also leave you with some extra pocket money too!

If you have any questions about our scrap metal prices or are looking for a quote price for your own scrap metal, reach out and contact A&L Recycling today. 

Scrap Metal Quote  Contact Us

The short answer is yes—depending on the condition of your vehicle, a car you sell for scrap may in fact be salvageable in whole or in part. If that’s the case, it may be resold.

As the saying goes, one man’s junk is another man’s treasure. People scrap their cars for all sorts of reasons, and not all of them are write-offs. Some car owners simply don’t want the hassle of maintaining an aging vehicle, or perhaps they’re ready to sell but would rather let someone else do the legwork.

[more]Consequently, cars in all sorts of different conditions get sold to scrap yards, and many of these vehicles are salvageable in part or even in whole.

On top of this, the growing demand for materials and components means cars are more likely to be recycled and resold in one form or another.

How your car can be resold after you scrap it:

1) Salvage and restoration

If the vehicle is still intact and has parts that remain usable, it may be possible to rebuild it. This may mean replacing minor or even major components with new parts so that the vehicle as a whole can be restored to a roadworthy condition.

2) Sale of individual parts

Even if the car as a whole is not salvageable, it may still have some usable parts. In such cases, those parts can be dismantled and removed from the vehicle and sold on to those who need them. This is especially true for cars with specific components that are in high demand (e.g. models that had a limited run).

There’s also a demand for certain metals used in vehicles, such as steel, and this too can be resold from scrap cars. Check the latest scrap metal prices here.

3) Export to other countries

In some cases, vehicles may be sold to other countries where there is a demand for scrap cars. As is the case in the UK, this may be because of demand for specific components in those cars or for the metals used in cars.

Recycling cars and their components in these ways gets the most out of the materials used in vehicles and reduces pressure on the environment.

No matter the condition of your vehicle, if you’re interested in selling your car for scrap and are wondering how much it may be worth, contact A&L Vehicle Recycling today or click the button below to request a free, no-obligation quote.

Scrap My Car!

Wondering whether you can scrap an abandoned car you found? Although scrapping an abandoned vehicle may seem like a quick way to make some cash, there are a number of legal and logistical steps involved that make it more complex than it seems. This blog will go over what you need to consider before scrapping an abandoned car so that you can avoid any legal repercussions.

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1. Determine Legal Ownership

Scrapping a car that isn’t legally yours can get you in trouble with the law. Even if the car appears to be abandoned, it will be registered in someone else’s name – and scrapping it without permission is considered theft.

To determine who legally owns the car, you will need to contact your local authorities or the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA). They will use the vehicle’s registration number to find out whether the car has been reported as lost or stolen or if there is an owner looking for it.

You may want to take photos of the vehicle that show its condition and location at this stage in case you need evidence to support any further actions.

2. Notification Period

If the car is on public land, the council will need to find the registered owner and give them seven days to respond. If the owner doesn’t respond during this time period, the council can remove the car to scrap or sell.

If the car is on your private property, you can use the Torts (Interference with Goods) Act 1977 by downloading a free Tort notice and placing it on all four sides of the car. If the car is still abandoned after 28 days, you can pay a recovery company to remove it.

3. Obtain Ownership Documentation

Interested in scrapping the vehicle yourself? First you will need to obtain legal ownership! This can be tricky to do, especially if you have not been able to get in contact with the original owner.

In order to scrap the car you will need to provide proof that you have permission to do so; this could be in the form of the filled-out V5C logbook or a letter from the owner. If the owner has passed away, you may need to provide a copy of the death certificate.

Alternatively, if the owner cannot be found or fails to comply with a notice to collect the vehicle, the council or authorities can either sell the car at auction or scrap it themselves. If they sell the car at auction, you can then purchase it and scrap it yourself.

4. Find an Authorised Treatment Facility

Once you have obtained legal ownership of the vehicle, you need to find an authorised treatment facility that will scrap it – like us here at A&L Vehicle Recycling! When you scrap a car with us at A&L, we will issue a Certificate of Destruction that is registered online with the DVLA. This will instantly mark the vehicle as scrapped and permanently close the vehicle record - any money you make will then be yours to keep!

If you have any questions regarding our services, please don’t hesitate to contact us and a member of our team will be happy to help. Alternatively, check out our Scrap Car FAQs for more information.

Scrap Car FAQs

The more miles on the clock, the lower the car’s value. But why?

Read on to find out how mileage affects your car.

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Reliability

Mileage is a measure of how much your car has been used. While today’s cars are considerably more durable than their forebears, no component is invincible—and the more a car is used, the faster its components will wear out.

The most visible example of this is the tread on the tyres smoothing out. But inside the vehicle, other parts will also deteriorate over time. Brake pads wear down, parts of the suspension system may start to fail, and engine problems such as oil leaks become more likely as the milometer ticks higher.

Cost of maintenance

Because of the wear and tear that each mile exerts on them, your car’s components will need to be maintained and eventually replaced.

Early on in the vehicle’s lifespan, costs may be limited to routine maintenance like tyre replacements. But as the mileage climbs higher, regular car services become more crucial to make sure the car is in good—and safe—working order.

The need for repairs and complete replacements increases with mileage. The cost of each repair can also rise as time marches on and the car’s more complex systems like the engine and gearbox start to break down.

Overall condition

The general condition of your car will also deteriorate the more you use it. The vehicle’s exterior may lose some of its lustre and pick up dents and scratches from small pieces of debris on the road, while the interior will fade and show visible wear due to the friction of bodies and feet against the seats and floor.

Value

Unsurprisingly, all of these factors combine to mean that the further your car has travelled, the less it is worth. As mileage goes up and maintenance becomes more costly and complicated, the car’s resale value decreases.

While different makes and models depreciate at different rates, a car with a lot of miles on the clock will generally be worth significantly less than a car of the same model with a lower mileage (all other factors being equal).

A simple way to calculate your car's rough loss of value is to use 20,000-mile increments; so for every 20,000 miles your car travels, it loses around 20% of its value. So, if you bought a new car for £20,000, after 20,000 miles it will be worth around £16,000, after 40,000 miles it will be worth around £12,800 and so on.

How many miles can a car last?

The good news is that cars are lasting longer than ever. This is largely thanks to improvements in design, durability and safety features.

There was a time when your average car might have been expected to last no more than 150,000 miles (approximately 8 years), but that number is now in the range of 200,000 miles!

This correlates with 2021 data showing that scrapped cars have an average age of 16 years.

Scrapping your car when it comes to the end of its lifespan is a practically effortless way to get rid of your old vehicle AND get paid for it, without the time and hassle of dealing with the resale market.

If your car has racked up a fair old mileage and you suspect that it’s now coming to the end of its life, why not sell it for scrap?

Scrap Your Car: Get a Quote Now!

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When you think of car theft, you probably think of entire cars being stolen, but a growing trend in vehicle crime involves the theft of specific car parts. As many as one in five drivers have experienced car part theft that has cost them over £1,200 to replace, but which car parts are in highest demand for thieves?

This blog will run through eight of the most commonly stolen car parts in the UK and what steps you can take to help prevent your car parts being stolen.

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1. Wing Mirrors

Wing mirrors top the list as the most frequently stolen car part, with over 1.4 million UK drivers reporting that they have had one stolen at some point. Although they may seem like simple tools, wing mirrors on modern cars contain valuable sensory equipment that can be sold on to make a fair amount of money, making them a big target for thieves.

To protect your car from wing mirror theft, it is recommended that if possible, you fold in your wing mirrors and lock them into place when parking so that it is harder for thieves to remove them. You can also purchase high strength acrylic tape that you can use to tape down the backing plate of your mirror for extra security.

2. Number Plates

Number plates are another common victim of car theft as stolen plates can be used for a number of different illegal activities. For example, thieves can use stolen number plates to put on unregistered cars, drive illegally, street race or steal petrol. In fact, every year 27,000 number plates are stolen from vehicles by thieves for possible illegal activity.

To protect your number plate from theft, replace your license plate’s regular screws with security screws. This should deter criminals from trying to remove your plates. If someone does pinch your number plates, be sure to report it to the police and the DVLA – it’s possible that the thieves will stick your plates on a different car, and you don’t want to be held responsible for any crimes they might commit.

3. Tyres and Wheels

13% of drivers reported having their tyres or wheels stolen at some point. Wheels are easy to steal as with the correct tools, a thief can removed your vehicle’s tyres and wheels within a matter of minutes. The added factor of these parts being hard to track and easy to sell makes your vehicle’s tyres and wheels a great target for thieves.

To protect your tyres, try turn your wheels at a 45 degree angle when parking and park close to the kerb. This should make it harder for thieves to gain access and remove your wheels.

4. The Car Emblem

Coming in close at the fourth most popular stolen car part, 12% of drivers surveyed by Compare the Market reported having their car emblem stolen at some point. Stealing car emblems was popularised by the music video for The Beastie Boys’ 1986 hit (You Gotta) Fight For Your Right (To Party), where band member Mike D had a VW badge hanging around his neck. This prompted fans all over the world to imitate the look and steal their own VW badges, so much so that a VW representative confirmed that in the first weeks of June 1987, as many as 250 car owners a day were getting replacement badges!

To avoid car emblem theft, park your car’s front section as close to a wall as possible so that there is no access to the bonnet or badge. This may not completely deter thieves but should make their job that bit harder.

5. Catalytic Convertor

Catalytic convertors are another valuable stolen car part that many thieves are eager to get their hands on. Made from a combination of several metals (platinum, palladium and rhodium) in the platinum group known to be worth more than gold, catalytic convertors can be sold to metal recyclers for a good lump sum. An experienced thief can also remove a catalytic convertor from your car in under a minute.

To deter thieves, it is recommended that you etch your VIN number or name on the convertor so that if it is stolen it is not only worth less, but can also be traced back to you – saving you up to £1,000 on a replacement part!

6. Battery

Car batteries are expensive and have a high resale value on the underground market, particularly the batteries from hybrid or electric vehicles. If you’ve ever had the task of replacing your own car battery, you know that removing it doesn’t take long when you have the right tools.

To deter thieves from stealing your car battery, you can buy alarm systems that you place under the hood of your car so that when somebody tries to open it to get to your battery, the blaring alarm should scare them away. You can also install hood locks and battery locks for extra security.

7. Airbags

Another easy car part for thieves to steal is your airbags. Airbags are compact, portable and can be stolen in a matter of minutes. Thieves will sell stolen airbags to collision repair shops where dishonest repairmen will charge vehicle owners the full price for the replacement, committing insurance fraud. The USA’s National Insurance Crime Bureau has reported that around 50,000 airbags are stolen a year in America, and the UK is not far behind.

Parking in safe places and using a steering wheel lock are two ways that you can help protect your vehicle from airbag left.

8. Registration

A lesser known but possibly the most dangerous item a thief can steal from your car is your vehicle registration. By taking your car’s registration documents, thieves will then be in possession of all sorts of your personal information. They can then use this information to register stolen vehicles or even get a duplicate car key made – scary stuff!

To avoid this happening to you, don’t leave your car’s registration documents in your glovebox or around your car. Instead, keep the documents at home or on your phone for easy access.

If you have been a victim of car part theft, or just need a replacement part for your car, contact A&L Vehicle Recycling today—we’ve got loads of spare car parts available at very reasonable prices.

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