As you probably know by now, we are quite fond of sharing all manner of interesting facts and statistics when it comes to recycling in the United Kingdom. However, we also believe it is important to consider the bigger picture – as in the recycling picture on a much larger scale than on this tiny island alone.
It’s no secret that pretty much everything is done bigger in the United States. Right now, much of the US follows the same extremely strict car recycling guidelines as the UK, though everything of course happens on a much larger scale. 
So just in case you were wondering about the vehicle scrappage and recycling system in the United States (of course you were!), here’s a quick rundown of a few facts you may find interesting:
1 – If you thought the annual volume of materials recycled from older vehicles in the UK was extensive, the US really does take things to a whole new level. Every year, more than 25,000,000 tons of materials are recycled from scrap vehicles.
2 – Thanks in no small part to the efforts of industry leaders in both the United States and the United Kingdom, cars have officially become the single most recycled consumer product on earth.
3 – In terms of value, the vehicle recycling industry in the United States is one of the 15 biggest in the entire country. The industry generates no less than $25 billion each and every year and employs more than 100,000 workers.
4 – Across the US, there are somewhere in the region of 7,000 centres dedicated solely to vehicle recycling.
5 – When combining the United States and Canada, the steel produced by the vehicle recycle industry each year would be more than sufficient to manufacture at least 13,000,000 new vehicles.
6 – In the average year, the number of vehicles handed over to the recycling system in the United States goes well beyond 12 million. By contrast, the total number of vehicles recycled in the whole of Europe tops out at about 8 million.
7 – Car recycling doesn’t just save on waste materials. Each year, the vehicle recycling industry of the United States saves more than 85 million barrels of oil, which would otherwise have to be used in the manufacture of new vehicle components.
8 – Contrary to popular belief, the global vehicle recycle industry is not in fact anything close to a new concept. In fact, the world has been proactively recycling vehicles for over 75 years.
9 – Across the United States, 40 % of all scrap metal is sourced from end-of-life vehicles.
10 – Last but not least, the US vehicle recycling industry each year responsibly disposes of or recycles the equivalent oil and hazardous fluids as eight Exxon Valdez disasters.
It’s all eye-opening stuff to say the least, but in all instances further emphasises why it is of such importance to do the right thing when the time comes to get rid of your scrap car.
Take My Scrap Car is all about the greater good and ensuring everyone gets a fair deal – give us a call or drop us a message today for more information.
