Have you ever wondered to what extent car waste can be recycled? Finally, cars integrate many materials, such as steel, aluminum, plastic, glass, rubber, leather, zinc, lead, silicon, oil, antifreeze, and coolant. Some of these are highly harmful to the environment, while others have a high commercial value.

Ideally, up to 85% of the car will be recycled. Of course, this will depend on the recycling programs in each country. With information from Junk Cars, we share  the process of waste from a car that has ended its life .

1. Liquids

The fluids present in a car are: motor oil, antifreeze, fuel, freon, transmission fluid, brake fluid, and power steering fluid. An average car has between 5-10 gallons of fluid. It is important that these do not end up in the environment. One gallon of gasoline can spoil up to 750,000 gallons of water! Its uses include:

– Engine oil never wears out, so it can be cleaned and reused as a lubricant.

– Oil is reused to provide energy for furnaces or power plants.

– Freon released from air conditioning systems is a pollutant. Sometimes it can be reused as a refrigerant.

– The antifreeze is cleaned to remove contaminants, metals and oils. Then additives are added and it can be reused.

2. pieces

Before the car is crushed, many parts are cleaned and reconditioned, as long as your evaluation determines so. Also, they can be useful for people who do not want new parts. Engines, transmissions, starters, axles, batteries, alternators, hoods, doors, bumpers, and mirrors are the most common parts.

3. Recycling of parts

The following auto parts do require a specific recycling process in order to be reused.

Batteries Batteries are recycled at least 98%.

Lead. One of the components of batteries is lead, highly toxic and polluting. For this reason, it is necessary to remove it to be reused in new batteries. The  90% is recycled.

Plastic. It breaks up, washes, melts and forms into granules. They become boxes for new batteries.

Up to 50% of a new car is plastic. New appliances, plastic caps, bottles and packaging material, their uses are varied.

Tires Its recycling is used for other purposes. For example, safe cushioning for covering playgrounds, a component of hard road asphalt, fuel, welcome mats, railroad ties, portable speed bumps, and weightlifting plates.

Steel. Together with iron, it corresponds to 60% of the weight of a junk car. Approximately, it corresponds to 18 million tons of waste per year.

Did you know that 25% of new car casings come from recycled steel?  Other uses: household appliances, cans, building materials, ovens, elevators, aircraft hangars, bridges, etc.

Aluminum. About 90% of the aluminum in the vehicle is recycled. It is used for new parts of the car.

There is still a long way to go in this matter, hoping that in the future its recycling will be total . However, with manufacturers’ new sustainability goals, recycling is not only taking place on a larger scale, including for use in new components, but it will be increasing, including batteries in electric cars.