07/31/2026
Why Recycle Automobiles???
With the plethora of public service announcements and school campaigns about the benefits of recycling, the concept of keeping materials out of landfills continues to infiltrate the minds of Americans. And the message is reaching beyond Coke cans and peanut butter jars to items that have an even bigger impact. According to the Auto Alliance, ¨86 percent of a vehicle’s material content is recycled, reused or used for energy recovery.¨ Considering the sheer size of an automobile versus other recyclable products, recycling your automobile is a great way to strive for sustainability. And this idea is catching on. Wheels for Wishes explains that more than 25 million tons of material are recycled from cars each year, including 90 percent of all of the automotive aluminum on a recycled car. This aluminum can be used to make a variety of new products, and is also an integral component in the new car industry.
Auto recyclers are changing the way we deal with defunct cars, and now supply more than one-third of iron and steel scrap to the scrap processing industry in the United States. The idea of going beyond cans and cardboard recycling is catching on: according to recycling stats from SellMax, 12 million cars are recycled yearly in America.
Saving Natural Resources...
There are many reasons why automobile recycling is good for the earth and for economics. It is no secret that we are using the world’s resources at an unsustainable and alarming rate. Global Citizen reports that the world would actually need 1.75 earths to keep up with our established rate of consumption of natural resources. One huge benefit of automobile recycling is the use of scrap metal instead of mining for new fossil fuels. The ARA reports that for every ton of steel created from scrap, 2,500 pounds of iron ore, 1,400 pounds of coal, and 120 pounds of limestone extraction are saved.
Uses for Parts...
Breaking a car down into its primary parts can offer a variety of recycling and upcycling opportunities. Old tires can become planters, tables, playground surfaces, shoes or workout equipment. Metals can become ductwork, appliances, food packaging, art, and lighting fixtures. In addition to industrial uses for car manufacturers and other corporations, websites like Etsy and Pinterest are laden with ideas for private citizens to upcycle car parts, from imaginative uses for bed headboards and footboards, to creative metalwork for walls.
HELP SAFE OUR PLANET START RECYCLING TODAY!
