Economic and Environmental Benefits of Well-Regulated Junk Yards in Florida

by Kevin Smith Author

They may not be the first thing that comes to your mind when you think of the economy, but junk yards in Florida and other parts of the country play an important part in local economies. If held to appropriate legal and environmental standards; they also play a role in regulating recycled scrap metal and reducing waste. Junk yards are defined as areas where items such as scrap metal and resalable car parts are stored. In older movies they are sometimes portrayed like giant trash heaps, but well-regulated ones are better managed and organized so that metal and car parts can be sold and reused. They are also intended to follow specific safety and environmental codes to prevent leakage of hazardous material. If you decide to sell an old vehicle or purchase a part from a junk yard make sure that it has up-to-date permits.

Economic Role

Junk yards are important for local economies, especially at times when money is scarce and people are looking for ways to bring in extra cash or save on expenses. Car owners who recently purchased a new vehicle or who have a car that no longer works can sell their older cars to junk yards and receive cash. The amount that they will be paid depends on the make, model, year, and quality of the vehicle they are selling. If your vehicle is new and still in good shape, selling it to a junk yard may not be a great option. You would probably get a better deal trading it in or selling it to an auto dealer. However, for owners of older cars that no longer work, junk yards can be a huge relief. Many junk yards will give you a quote for your car over the phone and will drive out with a tow truck to collect it if it doesn’t run. For the original owner this can be a great service since holding on to a non-running car can be dangerous and take up money and space. Being paid for a car that you can no longer use is an extra incentive.

On the other side of the buying and selling market, junk yards help local vehicle-owners save money on parts. If your car breaks down and you are able to fix it, you can visit a local junk yard to find what you need at lower cost. For people who restore old cars or are looking for very specific components that are no longer manufactured, junk yards can be the only place to find what they need.

Environmental Role

Though there are many warnings about possible environmental hazards found in and around junk yards these places actually play an important role in helping the environment as long as they are well-regulated. How do they do this? Well, for one thing they provide vehicle owners with a place to recycle their older cars. Vehicles do contain toxic chemicals and once they stop working, something needs to be done with them. Junk yards that follow environmental codes can provide an appropriate place to take those vehicles where the chemicals can be processed or discarded effectively. Their willingness to pick up old cars reduces the chance that those cars will be dumped illegally. Meanwhile, the resale of parts reduces the environmental toll of manufacturing. Like other recycling programs, junk yards in Florida and other states encourage the re-use of valuable, long-lasting material. This reduces the need to waste additional resources on products that are already available.