The Eco-Friendly World of Auto Recycling
The Importance of Auto Recycling
According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), approximately 12 to 15 million vehicles are scrapped every year in the United States. These scrap vehicles include cars, trucks, vans, and SUVs, which can contribute to the 12 million tons of landfill waste each year. Therefore, auto recycling has become an essential step towards maintaining a cleaner environment and reducing waste in the modern world.
By recycling vehicles, the amount of waste created is reduced, which protects the environment. Additionally, car recycling decreases the dependence on raw materials needed to make new cars. Recycling cars reduces the amount of steel, aluminum, and rubber that needs to be extracted, processed, and produced. The recycling process also reduces energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions since recycling requires less energy than producing new materials.
The Process of Auto Recycling
The recycling process of a scrapped car involves four crucial steps: depollution, dismantling, shredding, and material separation.
Depollution is the first step to remove all hazardous fluids and materials from the vehicle before it is dismantled. Hazardous fluids include oil, fuel, coolant, brake fluid, and battery acid. An expert depollution expert will carefully remove these chemicals from the car to prevent any environmental hazard.
After depollution, professional mechanics dismantle the car, separating the reusable parts from the components that cannot be recycled. The good parts, including the engine, the transmission, and the alternator, are kept aside for reuse or refurbishment. These parts are sold as used car parts, and this practice contributes to the growing trend of keeping cars on the road longer, saving consumers money and reducing landfill waste.
The next step is shredding, which is a pivotal stage in the overall car recycling process. The shredded material is sent to a recycling plant, where the process of material separation takes place. At this stage, more than 75% of the car components will be broken down into small pieces, and this includes the steel, aluminum, glass, and rubber.
The Process of Material Separation
Material separation involves using advanced technology for sorting the shredded metals into different alloys. Laser sensors and powerful magnets contribute to the separation process by detecting metal density and removing them, leaving behind the non-magnetic materials such as glass, plastic, and rubber. The process of separating metals ensures that recycled materials meet the high standards required for use in new products.
Once the metals are separated, they are transformed into new products such as steel beams, car parts, and canned goods. About 125 million tonnes of steel are recycled every year, which saves about 165 million tonnes of iron ore. The rubber from the car tires is used to create rubberized asphalt for road surfaces, and the glass from windshields is recycled to make items such as dishware and other glass-based products.
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, auto recycling is an eco-friendly and economically feasible alternative that’s gaining popularity worldwide. Apart from contributing to creating a sustainable environment, auto recycling has several benefits, including a reduction in landfills and raw material consumption. Recycling cars also helps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions due to energy efficiency and creates job opportunities in the recycling industry.
As a consumer, you can benefit from car recycling by purchasing used car parts at a more reasonable price. Additionally, by recycling your old vehicles, you can enjoy the psychological benefits of knowing that you are contributing towards a cleaner and safer environment.
In conclusion, auto recycling contributes to creating a cleaner and sustainable future that will benefit both the environment and society. Recycling cars ensures that we conserve precious resources and reduce the environmental impact of transportation. By supporting the recycling industry, we can all make a positive impact and contribute to a cleaner and greener earth for generations to come.