Car Recycling 101: A Driving Force for Environmental Change
Posted by [email protected] on Aug. 10, 2021
Opinion Piece – Gabe Vargas, June 2, 2021
Did you know that you can recycle your car? It's true! I think that in an ideal world, there would be fewer cars and more environmentally-friendly options for getting around. In countries like the Netherlands, cities are designed to be walkable from end to end, and environmentally-friendly infrastructure like bike paths and public transportation are widely available. But depending on where you live, you may not have a choice in how to get around. Believe me, I would love to be able to bike to work every day! But even if you can't ditch the car, there’s one option you should still know about as an environmentally-conscious driver: recycling your car.
Can I Really Recycle My Car?
Yes, you can! The process of recycling your car is pretty straightforward. When you decide to sell your car, you can donate it to a car donation charity or sell it to a recycler. The car donation charities will usually pay you a little bit of money for your car, which you can use to buy a new car. The recyclers will take your car off your hands for free, and depending on the laws in your state, they may be able to sell the parts and use the metal in their own manufacturing process (or sell it to other manufacturers).
How does recycling my car help the environment?
Recycling your car aids the environment in several ways. For one, it can help to keep metals out of landfills and reduce the need for mining new metals. The average 4,000 pound car contains around 3,500 pounds of metal--like steel, magnesium, and aluminum--as well as around 500 pounds of plastic. Here’s a few other benefits recycling your car provides:
- Saves roughly 85 million barrels of oil every year.
- Old parts are reused instead of new parts being manufactured, cutting down on excess manufacturing.
- Recycled cars provide enough material to produce approximately 13 million vehicles a year. This saves a significant amount of resources.
Recycling your car also keeps the pollutants that may be in the car from leaching into the ground. Cars contain components like batteries, which contain harmful chemicals like lead and sulfuric acid, and fluids like motor oil that can harm wildlife if disposed of improperly. Recycling your car keeps these materials out of landfills, and keeps harmful waste from contaminating the ground and water supply.
How are the materials reused?
You might be surprised to hear that over 86 percent of the materials in a car can be recycled! The steel and aluminum from a car can be melted down and used to make new cars as well as pipes, beams, and other metal products. I spoke to SellMax a leading car scrapper in Detroit, Michigan and they told me that recycled cars provide enough steel every year to make nearly 13 million new cars. Some of this goes directly to the manufacture of new cars, but a substantial amount of the parts in your car can be used for repairing other cars of similar make or model. As for the plastic, it is usually shredded and used to make new plastic products like bags, bottles, and even toys. The rubber tires are also recycled. Some are used to make new tires, while others are ground up and used to make rubber flooring. Even the gasoline in used cars can be reclaimed—according to The Balance, an estimated 8 million gallons of gasoline are recovered in this way each year. Almost any part of a car that you can name can be put to use after the car has reached the end of its lifespan.
How do I recycle my car?
The most obvious way to recycle your car is to donate it to a charity like Goodwill or the Salvation Army. In the U.S., many charities accept cars and use them to help their clients get to work, get to interviews, and even get to doctor’s appointments. There are many charities that will accept your car as a donation, and some of them will even pick up your car for you. If you donate your car to charity, you may be able to get a tax deduction for the value of the car. If you donate your car to a charity that is planning on using the car, you may be able to deduct the car's fair market value, which will generally be higher than the car's trade-in value. It's a win-win situation: you get to help out a charity, and you may be able to write off the donation on your taxes.
What about getting cash to recycle my car?
I like this option! Not only is it better for your wallet, it’s also better for the environment because it means the car will be taken off the road. There are recycling programs all over the country available for cars of all makes and models. It's surprisingly hassle-free and a great way to get some extra money for your car. When you're ready to recycle your car for cash, you can sell it to a company that will actually buy it from you.
How does it work?
The process is very simple: all you have to do is provide some basic information about your car, and the company will give you a quote and schedule a time to pick up the car. After they tow your car away, you'll get a check for the car, and they'll even handle the paperwork. This is a great option if you'd prefer cash in hand over a tax deduction or are not eligible for a tax deduction. The EPA recommends that you check the company’s license and contact information before you agree to do business with them. In some areas, you may also need to get a special permit to recycle an automobile. The company will be able to help you with this.
The environment will thank you if you recycle your car rather than just letting it sit in your driveway. It's a great way to reduce the amount of pollution in the world. If you're ready to get rid of your old car, various car recyclers exist that can help you get started. A quick google search for a car recycler in your area will bring up numerous options.
Bio: Gabe Vargas earned a bachelor’s degree in physics and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in physics at University of California San Diego (UCSD). He has been a strong advocate for protecting the environment since early childhood. Inspired by his mother, he writes to encourage others to recycle as much as possible. He hopes to shed some light on forms of recycling many are unfamiliar with.
Related resource: Illinois Salvage Yard Environmental Guidebook and Self-Audit Checklist
