Car recycling – we’ve all heard of it and we all know it’s a good idea. However, in terms of how it actually works, the vast majority really haven’t got a clue at all!
Like many things of a similar nature, folk seem to think that there’s something of a magic recycling fairy that takes the trash we get rid of, transports it to some deep-dark underworld and gets the magic recycling process going. Or at least it might as well happen like this, for all the average-Joe knows about the process! 
So assuming you’ve joined the ranks of the responsible 21st century citizens that know it’s crucial to send a car off for recycling, have you ever really wondered what happens to it once you’ve handed over the keys? For you the job’s done – you’ve got your cash, you’ve declared the car as dead and you’re on your way.
For your car on the other hand, the fun is just beginning!
Recycling a Car – Not So Simple
If you’ve come to think it’s just a case of chucking the thing in a crusher and sending the resulting cube off to be melted and reused, think again! Recycling a car is a hell of a lot more complicated than you might realise, but given the fact that more than 80% of EVERYTHING in a scrap car can indeed be recycled, it’s a worthwhile effort.
It’s best to take on-board a summarised account of what goes on as to go into each step of the process in detail would not make for quick reading. First of all, it’s the job of those taking your car to do a full inspection inside and out across every square inch. This is done to take note of what parts are still in good working order, or could be brought back to working order and added to their retail inventory. These parts must then be removed, cleaned, catalogued and stored.
Next comes the process of draining all of the fluids from the car which in some cases can also be recycled, but in others must be disposed of safely. The battery itself is a pretty interesting feature as not only can the shell of the cell be recycled into plant pots, but even the sulphuric acid inside can be recycled too!
After the fluids, anything and everything else that cannot be recycled or is in any way dangerous has to be removed. From all manner of weird and wonderful electronic bits and pieces right through to the stuff that propels the airbag out in the event of an accident, the whole lot has to go!
When this is done, technically you should be left with an empty shell of a vehicle that’s ready to go in the crusher, or will in some cases be chopped to pieces instead. It’s only then that the steel itself can be taken to/by the recycling firms that carry out the process of melting it all down and putting it back into use.
