Why Junk Car Removal is Good for the Environment
Have you decided it’s time to junk your car ? Perhaps its been unused and neglected for far too long. Perhaps it needs repairs that would cost more than the vehicle itself that you just can’t justify. Perhaps it’s an eyesore that you want off your driveway. Or maybe it’s just no good anymore. Whatever the reason, scrapping your car can not only give you some extra cash but also be good for the environment. That is why 1 million cars are scrapped every year. In this article, we’ll go over the positive effects of junk car removal on the environment.
Environmental Benefits of Junk Car Removal
Auto recycling centers have to abide by strict regulations which make their processes ethical and environmentally friendly. So, when you scrap your car, you are not only doing something that will benefit the environment directly but also contributing to a business which follows the same values as you. You don’t have to worry about what your car is going to be used for. You can be safe in the knowledge that it will be in the hands of people who will put its materials to the best possible use because they are obligated to.
Re-Use Scrap Metal
Your old, worn-out car may seem worthless to you, but it’s very valuable to a junk yard. This is because it has so much scrap metal that can be put to better use, and people will pay good money for it. The manufacturing process for metals can be extremely harmful to the environment, using some of the Earth’s most limited resources, such as carbon and oil. Re-using the scrap metal from your old car means that less of those resources need to be used up.
Around 14 million tons of steel is taken from scrapped cars every year, which is the equivalent of 12 million cards. The use of that scrap metal saves around 85 million barrels of oil every year. That’s a huge environmental impact! As well as steel, aluminum can be recycled from cars. It’s found in the engine heads, transmission fluid cooler, and radiator, as well as other parts. Cars also contain platinum group metals, which are especially valuable.
Dispose of Toxic Substances the Right Way
When you think of junk car removal and recycling, you usually only think of scrap metal and tires. However, there are other substances in the vehicle which are just as important. These are in fluid form, and the average junk car contains between 5 and 10 gallons of them. These liquids and chemicals that a car contains are toxic and therefore must be handled with great care. That’s why a car should only be scrapped by someone who knows what they are doing.
Examples of these substances include battery acid, antifreeze, brake fluid and power steering fluid, as well as others you may not have thought of, like mercury and sodium azide. If these substances are disposed of in the wrong way, they could cause damage to the environment by contaminating soil and water and then killing plants and wildlife. They could also be harmful to humans, causing skin, eye and respiratory problems.
Recycle Every Part Possible
When you think of junk car removal, you might just envision your car being crushed by a machine and thrown on a pile of metal. In reality, it is much more thorough than that. Every single material from your car that can be recycled will be removed, separated and put to use. That includes even the small things that you wouldn’t think of, like the floor mats, for example.
Once the car has been checked for parts, the wheels, tires, battery and catalytic converter will be removed. After that, all of the fluids will be drained from the vehicle and its inner systems and any smaller useful parts will be removed to be either sold on or reused. When everything has been taken out, the metal framework of the car will be crushed and compacted.