I bet you didn’t know that, did you? Maybe you’re thinking paper or plastics are the most recycled products in the world today. But actually, newspapers, aluminum, glass and consumer electronics are only next to automobiles in the most recycled products list. Every year, 95% of old automobiles are stripped down and processed for recycling. Nearly 84% of the automobile’s materials are up for recycling. In fact, 26 automobiles are recycled every minute says a report from the American Iron and Steel Institute. Reusable parts such as engines, transmissions, doors and bumpers are dismantled and remanufactured or rebuilt for use on other vehicles.
When these parts have been dismantled, the car is then compacted and passed through a shredder that sorts the vehicle’s materials into metal and non-metal parts. The metal parts are then melted down and recycled for various uses ranging from construction materials to batteries. In 2004, almost 15 million tons of steel was recycled from automobiles. Non metal components are also recycled into new parts for autos. These include sound deadeners which are recycled from carpets and splash shields which were originally part of spent battery casings.
Fluids such as engine oil, coolant, refrigerant and gasoline, as well as other scrap materials such as batteries, catalytic converters, tires and plastic components are also recycled. Tires become floor mats or brake pedals. Carpets become sound deadening materials. Manufacturers such as DaimlerChrysler and GMC use recycled parts on some components of its new vehicles. In fact, ten percent of the plastic parts of a MINI Cooper, a product of BMW, is made of recycled plastics.
Auto recycling is a very important part of the automotive industry and is actually the 16th largest industry in the US with revenues reaching $25 billion per year and employing over 46,000 people. There are over 7,000 auto-recycling centers scattered across the country today. Automakers are also stepping up their recycling operations to help promote environmental conservation. Auto owners are also encouraged to turn in their old vehicles for recycling.
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