When a car comes to the end of its life, it’s often sent to a recycling facility or scrapyard to be dismantled and repurposed. However, this is not just a matter of splitting the car into bits and sending them to landfill; a surprising amount of your car’s components can actually be salvaged, reused and turned into new products and materials.
Here’s a breakdown of which car parts get recycled when a car is scrapped…
Metals
Around 75% if a typical car’s weight consists of metals like steel and aluminium, which are both highly recyclable. Steel can be melted down and turned into new steel products, like building materials and new cars. Like steel, aluminium can be endlessly recycled into new products without losing its quality. Copper can also be found in car wiring and electronic systems and when recycled can be incredibly useful for plumbing, construction and electrical systems.
Fluids
Engine oil, brake fluid, coolant and any other fluids found in the scrap car will be drained and either recycled or disposed of according to environmental regulations. For example, motor oil can be cleaned and refined to create new oil and antifreeze can be filtered and cleaned, making it reusable for future vehicles.
This process of recycling and reusing car fluids is essential for saving resources, reducing chemical waste and lowering the energy consumption associated with oil production.
Batteries
When it comes to recycling batteries, things get slightly more complicated. Traditional lead-acid batteries are relatively easy to recycle, the lead and acid can be extracted, purified and reused to create new batteries. Lithium-ion batteries, on the other hand, are more difficult to recycle but it is possible to extract the valuable metals (like lithium, cobalt and nickel) and repurpose them into the creation of new batteries or electronics.
Tires
Rubber from tires is typically recycled into road asphalt, playground surfaces, mats and sometimes even new tires. It is essential that tires are disposed of safely as they are made from materials that don’t break down easily, so when dumped illegally in landfills or outdoor areas, they can pose a significant risk to the environment.
Plastics
There is a lot of plastic in cars, from the dashboard to the seat coverings to the bumper, and luckily many of these automotive plastics can be salvaged and repurposed into new plastic products. Even the polyurethane foam found in car seats, armrests and headrests can be processed and reused to make new foam products.
Glass
Although the windshields and windows in cars are often made from laminated glass (a mix of two layers with a plastic layer in between), the glass can be separated and cleaned to be reused in other glass products.
By recycling your car with an authorised treatment facility, you can not only help the environment but also help to support the circular economy and contribute to a more sustainable future.
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