Cars are made of a wide variety of materials, including steel, aluminum, plastic, rubber, glass, and more. Once a vehicle reaches the end of its lifespan, it becomes what the industry calls an End of Life Vehicle (ELV). Rather than letting these vehicles sit and rust in a junkyard, many of their components can be recycled and put back to use.

The Process for Recycling Automotive Parts

The automotive recycling process involves several key stages:

1. Dismantling. The first step in recycling a vehicle is dismantling it. All fluids and usable parts are removed from the vehicle, including the battery, tires, radio, engine, and any other components that can be resold or reused. Fluids such as oil, coolant, and transmission fluid must be carefully drained to prevent environmental contamination.

2. Crushing. After all reusable parts and fluids have been removed, the remaining vehicle shell is crushed down to a more manageable size. This makes it easier to transport and process in the next stage.

3. Shredding. The crushed vehicle is fed into an industrial shredder, where it is torn into fist-sized pieces. This breaks down the vehicle into small enough fragments that the different materials can be effectively separated.

4. Resource Recovery. The shredded material is separated into ferrous metals, non-ferrous metals, and general residue. Magnets pull out the ferrous metals (iron and steel), while eddy current separators and other technologies extract non-ferrous metals like aluminum and copper. The remaining residue may contain plastics, rubber, fabric, and other materials that can be further processed or disposed of.

Types of Car Parts That Can Be Recycled

Car Fluids. Vehicle fluids are environmentally hazardous and must be drained first before any recycling can take place. Motor oil, transmission fluid, brake fluid, coolant, and power steering fluid can all be collected and recycled or safely disposed of through proper channels.

Batteries. Car batteries make up 98-99% of recycled products in the country, making them one of the most successfully recycled items. The lead, acid, and plastic in car batteries are all recoverable and can be used to manufacture new batteries and other products.

Wheels and Tires. Old tires can be broken down and used in the manufacturing of new products, including playground surfaces, athletic tracks, and road construction materials. Wheels, particularly alloy wheels, can be sold at junkyards or recycled for their metal content.

Plastic Car Parts. Plastic components are separated during the shredding process and can be melted down and reformed into new plastic products. Bumpers, dashboards, and interior trim pieces are all commonly recycled.

Mercury Switches. Mercury switches must be removed from vehicles per federal and state regulations before the vehicle is shredded. These switches, found in older vehicles' trunk lights and anti-lock braking systems, contain mercury that is highly toxic and must be handled according to strict environmental guidelines.