What Happens to Your Junk Car When It’s Recycled?
Motor vehicles are the most recycled item in the U.S. with over 4 million vehicles recycled annually. That accounts for $32 million in industry-wide revenue. Approximately 86% of a vehicle’s materials can be recycled or reused to conserve energy and materials. And with almost 275 million cars currently on the road, that accounts for a lot of reduced waste and reconstituted supplies. It’s easy to get cash on the spot for your junk car. Doing so can be a great side gig or hustle to pad your wallet and in some cases, selling junk cars for cash can even become a profitable business. But have you ever wondered what happens to your junk car when it’s recycled?
Fluids Are Drained and Disposed of Or Reused
Each motor vehicle contains an average of 1-5 gallons of fluid at the end of its lifespan. Used motor oil happens to be the most heavily polluted item in American waterways. A single gallon of gasoline can contaminate 750,000 gallons of water while a quart of oil can pollute 250,000 gallons of drinking water. Professional auto recycling centers and salvage yards take fluid removal seriously, so the first thing they do is drain the remaining fluids from the vehicle and dispose of them properly or reuse them whenever possible.
Parts Are Reclaimed and Recycled
Regardless of how a vehicle is when you get cash on the spot for your junk car, various parts and components are still valuable to the right salvage or recycling company. Carburetors, alternators, bumpers, and batteries may actually be able to be reused or reconditioned and resold. Even if the juice is gone in various parts, they may still be able to be repurposed or recycled into other items. The body of an average car is 65% metal, and 25% of the body a new vehicle is made from recycled steel. So as much salvageable metal as possible will be recycled from the body of a junk car.
The Vehicle Is Crushed
Once the valuable items are removed from or within the vehicle, the car is thoroughly crushed. The remaining vehicle is lifted and fed into a powerful machine that flattens the remaining parts so they can be recycled or sorted even further. Some crushers can devour the vehicle within a minute or less.
The Remains Are Sorted and Shredded
A crane and large magnet are used to remove steel from the remaining bits as aluminum and other materials are sorted and used elsewhere. Similar materials are classified and piled together before moving on to be processed or recycled further. Whatever can’t be used is scrapped and tossed into a landfill. But regardless of how old or “worthless” your junk car happened to be to you, at least 75% of it can be recycled or reused. In essence, selling your junk cars for cash actually saves the auto manufacturing industry billions of dollars a year, supports and helps maintain the steel industry, and benefits the environment as well. Give us a call when you’re ready to get cash on the spot for your junk car.
