People are often surprised to learn that about 80% of a vehicle can be recycled and reused. Cars are made up of a collection of parts, electrical elements, and reusable materials that if taken apart properly, can be put to good use. When your junk car is on its last leg or gets to the point where the repairs and maintenance cost more than the vehicle is worth, consider bringing it to a junkyard so its parts can be repurposed. Here is a list of a few of the parts and components of a vehicle that can be recycled:
Batteries & Electrics
A significant portion of batteries and electrical parts in a car can be toxic to the environment if they are not disposed of properly. However, many car batteries are still in good shape even when other parts of the car are no longer working. If in reusable condition, car batteries can be very valuable to salvage yards that sell used car parts.
Tires
Most cars that are brought to a junk yard have been run into the ground, but sometimes a junk car will be brought in that still has tires in decent condition. These can either be reused and put onto other vehicles, remade into new tires, or repurposed as fuel, artificial turf, or other products.
Oil & Oil Filters
Often times when a car is scrapped it will still contain motor oil. This oil must be drained before the vehicle is dismantled anyway, so why not reuse it? The oil filter in a car can also be recycled once the oil is drained.
Glass
The glass from the windows and windshields of a car can be reused and recycled for the production of many different products including, counter tops, jewelry, tile, and more.
Scrap Metal
As one of the easiest materials to recycle, the metal from your scrap car is a valuable resource. The doors and wheels are often removed to be resold and then the car is smashed into metal blocks.
Engine
Various parts of a vehicle’s engine can be recycled. Engine components like the radiator, catalytic converter, and spark plugs are usually valuable to scrap dealers in a manufacturing sense and are a big factor in deciding how much they will pay you for your junk car.
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