The short answer: Yes, cars are actually one of the most recycled consumer products in the world! All you need to do is take your old car to an Authorised Treatment Facility, as they are legally approved to ensure the environmentally responsible deconstruction and recycling of end-of-life vehicles (ELVs).
This blog will explore what parts of a car can be recycled, how cars are recycled and why recycling your old car is beneficial for the environment. Let’s get started!
What Parts of a Car Can Be Recycled?
Metal: The majority of a car’s weight is metal, like steel and aluminium, which are both highly recyclable. These metals can be melted down and reused in new vehicles, appliances and in construction.
Glass: The windows and windshields of a car can be crushed and recycled into new glass products.
Plastics: The bumpers, dashboards and other plastic interior parts of a car can often be repurposed or recycled into new auto parts or other plastic items.
Batteries: The lead and plastic components from car batteries are also highly recyclable – although this must be done by a trained professional.
Fluids: Oil, transmission fluid, antifreeze and brake fluid can all be drained from the vehicle during scrapping. They are then either safely disposed of or re-fined and reused.
Tires: Car tyres can be shredded into crumb rubber and used in playgrounds, sports surfaces and asphalt.
How Are Cars Recycled?
1. De-pollution
Before the car can be safely dismantled, all harmful fluids like engine oil, transmission fluid, antifreeze, petrol and brake fluid must be drained from the car and safely disposed of or filtered and refined for reuse. The car battery should also be removed and sent to a specialist recycling facility.
2. Component Recovery
Once the fluids and hazardous components are removed, the car can be dismantled into its individual parts. Any usable parts, like engines, seats, electronics and mirrors can be salvaged for reuse or resale. Components like the dashboard, doors, windows, lights, airbags and tires can also be removed and either sold as second-hand or scrapped for materials.
3. Separation of Materials
All materials will then need to be sorted by type, with rubber, glass, plastic and different types of metals (ferrous and non-ferrous) all being recycled in to different industries.
4. Shredding
Once everything valuable and usable has been removed, the car can then be fed into a huge industrial shredder that breaks down the vehicle into smaller, more manageable pieces.
5. Melting
The separated metals can then be melted down and all impurities are removed. The refined metal can then either be sold to manufacturing companies or used in creating new products.
Environmental Benefits of Car Recycling
- Fluids and batteries from cars can be toxic to the environment, so by recycling them safely and responsibly, you can help protect the environment from toxic chemical leaks.
- Recycling and reusing the car’s materials helps to reduce the need for new raw materials and conserve natural resources.
- Tires can take years to decompose in landfills, by recycling them you can reduce landfill waste and allow the materials to be repurposed.
- Recycling your car can also reduce greenhouse gas emissions by reducing manufacturing demands.
So, do you have an old car laying around that could be recycled? Use our free no-obligation quote generator today and find out how much you can get for your old vehicle!
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If you have any questions about out recycling process at A&L, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us and a member of our team will be happy to help!
