Recycling old and unwanted cars is not a new concept, although it has received a lot of attention in recent years with an increase in general awareness of the positive environmental impacts. Recycling the components of unwanted cars has been going on since cars were first developed, with Henry Ford reusing parts of his old Model T cars to save money.
Recently,greater efforts have been made to recycle more than just the component parts of vehicles. Now the body, chassis, and even the tyres can be recycled, which is good news not only for the environment, but also in terms of less wastage and cost savings too.
What happens to a car when it is recycled?
When a car is recycled, it is stripped of its external components and parts. Before being recycled, the vehicle is drained of fluids and the battery is removed along with the tyres. Some of the components of an old car are recyclable, including the battery and any oil that is taken out of the car. Tyres can also be melted down and made into rubber surfaces.
Once everything has been removed and there are no toxic fluids left in the car, it can be crushed, which makes it easier to transport. Once it has been transported to a recycling centre, the vehicle is shredded and the pieces are sorted depending on what type of metal they are. The non-metal residues are also kept separate while the metal is taken and melted down to make new items, including batteries and other consumer goods.
Increasingly, recycling companies are starting to find more things to do with the non-metal parts of cars, like the fabric from seats, plastic and rubber. Glass can be reused in lamps and kitchenware, while rubber can be used for playground surfaces and roads.
Increasing numbers of car manufacturers are starting to make vehicles that are designed to be recycled, with recyclable seat covers and other components, which will hopefully mean that in the future there can be even more environmental benefits and less waste from recycling cars. By recycling your old or unwanted vehicle you can help the environment as well as getting rid of that old car that might be an eyesore on your property. You could even make some spare cash in the process!
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