The benefits of recycling steel into junk cars
Junk car recycling has a huge impact on our environment, economy, and more; a totally positive impact. There are many benefits of scrap car recycling, most of which involve steel. Read on to learn why recycling steel in junk cars is important and how you can personally contribute to this wonderful initiative.
Most of the vehicles are mainly made of steel
Most vehicles are made of steel because it is a very durable, strong, and reliable metal. Not only can it protect drivers and passengers, it can be recycled and reused over and over again. In fact, most steel is made from existing steel materials, which does wonders to preserve our natural resources, conserve energy, and reduce harmful emissions produced by metal refining factories. According to the Steel Recycling Institute (SRI), “Recycling a single ton conserves 2,500 pounds of iron ore, 1,400 pounds of coal, and 120 pounds of limestone.”
Vehicles, on average, are 60% steel and iron. The shell alone is 25% of the total amount of steel in a car or truck, on average. This includes the side panels, the trunk, the hood, and the doors. Additionally, internal parts and metal components are recycled for your steel, such as auto parts, gaskets, circuit boards, and more.
Steel recycling
Motorized vehicles are among the most frequently recycled consumer products in the country. Regardless of who owns them or what happened to them, virtually all cars end up in the recycling process. According to the Steel Recycling Institute (SRI), more than 14 million tons of steel are recycled from automobiles each year. In reality, this can be argued as a 100% recycling rate among vehicles that are no longer fit for the road.
Junk car rescue process
The junk car recycling process, while not overly complicated, requires a fleet of highly specialized equipment and technology. Most metal reprocessing centers will start by draining the vehicle of any remaining liquid to stay within environmentally responsible recycling practices. These fluids include transmission fluid, brake fluid, power steering fluid, windshield washer fluid, radiator fluid, battery fluid, and motor oil. They will then begin to dismantle the vehicle from all of its reusable parts such as wheels, tires, headlights, doors, windows, fenders, bumpers, trunk lids, stereos, and any operational or repairable auto parts.
Once a vehicle is done with the drainage and dismantling process, all that remains are scattered hulls. This is usually shredded in an industrial metal shredder, which is a huge, innovative machine that can shred large hulls into fist-sized pieces in less than 45 seconds. These parts are a collection of steel, non-steel metals, and lint (non-reusable rubbers, plastics, glass, etc.). A large magnetic classifier is used to separate the steel and iron parts from the rest of the crushed material, which are then shipped across the country to various metal buyers, reprocessors, and steel mills.