A quick guide to auto recycling
Whether it’s a totaled wreck or a vehicle that’s simply run its course, auto recycling is a great way to salvage usable parts from any undesirable automobile. Most car owners tend to scrap any broken or unused vehicles in their possession, and as the world becomes increasingly conscious of the environment, the automobile industry has often been seen as one of the biggest producers of waste in regards to manufacturing.
Fortunately, though, there are now auto-recycling and auto-salvage services that take these junk cars and recycle their usable parts.
What is Auto Recycling and Salvage?
Auto recycling involves taking any unwanted or broken vehicles and salvaging any components that can be refurbished, restored, or recycled. Whether it’s due to an accident, overall age of the vehicle, or automobile defects, auto-recycling applies to any vehicle that can’t start again. Salvage facilities like All Truck & Car will purchase these types of vehicles and recycle them.
What Does the Auto Recycling Process Entail?
The process of auto recycling usually begins with a “pre-treatment” which involves draining the vehicle of any fluids, such as fuel, oil, coolant, and antifreeze as well as disassembling the car.
The fluids that are drained during this process can be sold or recycled. This stage of the recycling process also includes removing the vehicle’s tires, battery, and fuel tank. Depending on their condition, the tires can be retreaded for sale or recycled as rubber or fuel.
After the pretreatment step, either the vehicle owner or the salvage facility will decide on what happens with the remaining parts. After evaluating each separate component, the owner or facility manager will decide whether they should be refurbished for resale or recycled. This can include everything from the engine parts to the floor mats.
Certain companies will allow the owner to manually disassemble the vehicle while other companies will offer services such as pulling and selling the parts themselves, either online or at a retail location.
After salvaging any and all of the usable parts from the vehicle, the last step of auto recycling includes removing the interior components, such as the seats, the console, the carpeting and more. After that, the body and frame of the vehicle are taken to be compacted and recycled as well.
How Much Can You Make by Auto Recycling a Vehicle?
Not only is it better for the environment, but auto recycling can be a way to make some extra money, as well as help you remove a wrecked or non-functioning vehicle that’s taking up space in your garage. The value of the car being recycled depends on numerous factors though. Here are some of the factors that can come into play when determining how much someone will make from auto recycling their vehicle.
- Type of vehicle (i.e. year, make and model)
- Condition of the vehicle
- Current price of scrap
- Current demand for car parts
Appraising a Vehicle for Recycling
One additional aspect to consider is the value of the car as spare parts and not as a functioning vehicle. Some people may think that having a car in great running condition with less than 100,000 miles may get more compensation than a much older, worn-down vehicle, but that’s not always the case. The car that’s going to be auto recycled isn’t being valued as a vehicle but as pure scrap, which means that the salvaging facility or junkyard will appraise the vehicle mostly for its overall weight.
Reasons to Auto Recycle Your Vehicle
The most common reason a vehicle is recycled is due to an accident and the damage is too catastrophic to repair. Usually, if a vehicle is irreparably damaged, it will be hauled off for scraps at the junkyard, but auto salvaging the vehicle with a professional service provider is a good way to ensure every component gets recycled properly.
Other reasons to recycle your car can include:
- It costs more to fix than it’s worth.
- The vehicle is older than 10 years.
- The car doesn’t run.
The Benefits of Auto Recycling
As stated before, auto recycling is a more environmentally friendly option and keeps more than 75% of any recycled vehicle’s weight out of landfills. With so many vehicles being discarded every single day across the world, this can have a huge impact on helping the environment.
The personal benefit is the extra cash that you can make by deciding to recycle your old car that’s sitting in your driveway or the wreck that resulted from an unfortunate accident. Instead of letting it sit there gathering dust, recycling allows other vehicles to use its salvageable parts and will help you free up some space as well.