How Old Cars Are Recycled

by Kevin Smith Author

There will come a time when your car will reach its limit and stop running. When this happens, you can't just let it rot in a garage or in the middle of nowhere, right? The best thing to do is to sell the old unit to junkyards or authorized treatment facilities that say "we buy junk cars in Florida." But how do these places prepare autos and their parts for a new purpose? Read on to find out.

Fluids Are Drained

Vehicles are powered by oil as well as transmission, radiator, power steering, and brake fluids. Air conditioning coolant, washing liquid, and battery acid are also found in an auto. If these substances aren't properly disposed of, there's a chance that they'll contaminate the soil, air, and water systems, leading to serious environmental and health consequences. To keep these problems at bay, junkyard operators drain all chemicals out of a car and pour them into sealed containers for safe disposal. In some cases, these materials may be filtered and reused.

Parts Are Salvaged

Once all of the toxic chemicals have been removed, the unit will be dismantled. A professional cleans and inspects each component to see if it can be resold or repurposed. If it's the latter, the junkyard will sell it to the appropriate recycling facilities or manufacturers.

The metals found in catalytic converters are melted to produce electronics, jewelry, or even new converters. Windshields and windows are ground into shards to make containers or decorative items, like vases and mosaic tiles. They can also be used to create new panels for other autos. Tires are either melted or shredded as pellets for race tracks and playground mulch. Sometimes, the rubber may even be turned into belts and handbags. These accessories can also be fashioned from the car's leather or fabric upholstery.

Metal Frames Are Crushed

Once a vehicle has been depolluted and dismantled, it's ready to be destroyed… for a good reason. The remaining metal shell will be crushed to a compact size and sent to a machine for refinement. First, the shell is dipped into a solution to remove its protective tin coating. Afterward, the pure steel is melted, poured into molds, and rolled to form flat sheets. These will then be used to create structural frames for buildings and new autos.

With the effects of climate change becoming more intense by the day, it's important to keep sustainability in mind. This way, you'll generate less waste and pollution. Choose to go green now by selling your old auto to establishments with signs that say, "we buy junk cars in Florida.