If you’re looking to buy a car, you might be considering how much your vehicle ownership will impact the environment. If you’re a current vehicle owner, on the other hand, you may be considering the life cycle of your car and wondering what happens when your vehicle comes to the end of its road.

As car recycling experts, we’re here to tell you what you can expect from recycling old cars and how disposing of your old vehicle ethically can benefit the environment.

Auto Recycling

Auto recycling is a huge industry. Almost everywhere you go, you’ll find trusted auto recycling companies offering a range of services from junk removal to material reclamation. It’s estimated that over 95 percent of car parts are recycled and used to manufacture other products or power other industries. Steel, metals, plastics, and batteries are the main products reclaimed and recycled from standard vehicles. Let’s take a closer look at what happens with each of these materials once they’re no longer a part of your car.

Steel

The steel frame of your vehicle is one of the easiest materials to recycle. Once the steel is separated from your car, it’s melted down. The melting process doesn’t impact its ability to perform, and it’s thus able to be used in various ways.

Recycling steel decreases waste and lowers the environmental repercussions of manufacturing new steel. Recycling steel uses less energy and causes less air contamination than producing iron ore—the substance needed to create new steel.

Metals and Plastics

There are many features in your vehicle created using metals and plastics. Tires may be one feature that comes to mind. Recycled tires from your car have many surprising applications, including insulation in lawns, mats for children’s playgrounds, and gravel replacements.

Metals and plastics from your recycled car aren’t always used in other industries. The same materials that were a part of your vehicle can also be used to produce new cars.

Batteries

According to a 2013 study, car batteries are reprocessed at a rate of 99 percent. The lead from the batteries is recovered in the same way that steel and plastics are—reformed into other products that require lead. The sulfuric acid found in batteries can be used to create washing powder and similar products.

Hybrid batteries are often recycled and used to store power. Some companies are even working on using old car batteries to power buildings.

The bottom line is that many elements of your vehicle are valuable and usable long after your car is no longer driveable. Instead of just sticking them in the landfill, finding a trusted recycling company is the best option.

Environmental Impacts of Car Recycling

These days, critically considering the effect that your actions have on the environment is more critical than ever before. The car manufacturing industry contributes negatively to the environment overall, so properly recycling and reclaiming precious materials used to make vehicles is an important way to mitigate its impact. After all, cars are created using substances that are difficult to extract and develop, so reusing them is a big part of building vehicles sustainably.

Utilizing existing car construction materials will allow us to slow manufacturing, save energy, and reduce the amount of pollution being pumped into the atmosphere. Vehicle recyclers are excited to be a part of this movement.

Junk Your Car for Free

Most vehicle recyclers are happy to take your junk vehicle off your hands—some may even pay you for it depending on the parts that can be salvaged and its overall condition. Junk car removal is a fast and easy way to ensure that your car isn’t going to waste.

Any parts that can’t be reclaimed or recycled will be disposed of responsibly by your junk car removal experts, so you don’t have to worry about a thing.

Every car recycling plant is different and will have various techniques and strategies for reclaiming and recycling auto parts. Most organizations are more than happy to tell you about their approach before you decide to hand over your scrap car.

Choosing the Right Junk Yard for Auto Recycling

If there’s an auto recycling center in your area, you may be tempted to head right over without considering your options. Don’t be so hasty! A few things separate good recycling plants from bad ones. We recommend considering the following factors when selecting where to take your junk vehicle.

Adherence to Environmental Regulations

Every area has its own environmental laws, guidelines, and restrictions. The auto recycling plant you choose should be able to easily tell you what these guidelines are and how they follow them.

Price

Many auto recyclers will pay you for your junk car because they’ll likely be able to sell the parts to different manufacturers. If an organization tells you they can’t give you any compensation without taking the time to survey your vehicle properly and explain their decision, it may be worth looking for another team. A good recycler will want to help you sell your car at a reasonable price.

Industry Connections

Auto recyclers should have a network of buyers in the local and national industries. They should have people willing to purchase recycled auto parts and reclaimed materials and substances. Otherwise, those parts and materials will go to waste. Asking your auto recycling team about how they do business is another way you can ensure that your vehicle parts are being used for the greater good and not just dumped in a landfill.

Connect with Imperial Towing Inc to Learn More About Auto Recycling

People drive cars off the lot every day. People also retire their vehicles from the road every day. The vehicle life cycle can be a long one, but it inevitably comes to an end. Giving your car’s materials new life by ensuring that you dispose of your car responsibly can significantly impact the health and future of our planet.

Imperial Towing Inc is proud to be one of the most trusted junk car removal companies in the local area. We’ll be able to assess your vehicle, give you a competitive price to take it off your hands, and ensure that its parts and materials are recycled as comprehensively as possible.

We’ve been doing this work for years, and you can trust us to help you dispose of your car responsibly. Call us at (813) 900-6024 today if you have any questions or want to arrange to bring your old car to us for recycling.