Do you have one or a few scrap projects monopolizing space? Perhaps your trusty parts car has expired – you’ve gutted its frame for all it’s worth, and now it’s time to move on. Maybe an old family vehicle finally quit, or a work truck just won’t work. Whatever the story is behind that scrap car, it’s advisable that you recycle for a few different reasons – take it from the junkyard experts! Not only are you helping the environment and the economy, it’s also likely you’ll pocket a good chunk of change for the trouble.
Now more than ever, industry professionals and backyard hobbyists alike are focused on sustainable solutions. The cashback from a junk car has always been a perk, but saving energy and resources in mining and extraction has become a high priority. We all want to roll forward with the mighty automobile, so leaving old models in the dust just doesn’t make sense. Local scrap yards are bastions of what some might call an art: recycling scrap metal.
If you don’t have the time or energy to tinker around with and remove valuable scrap yourself, there’s no point in holding on to that vehicle, no matter how valuable its memories are. Take a picture or two and hand it over – this article will let you in on why.
Why Recycle a Scrap Car?
1. It’s the Responsible Thing to Do
Not only do old car scraps become hazardous waste, but they can also be an obnoxious problem to solve if not disposed of correctly. Recycling your scrap vehicle ensures that its different materials make it safely to the right places, from fluids to electrical components and even glasses and plastics. Although metal is the main attraction, we can’t forget about all the other items that comprise a vehicle. Overlooking your heap of junk could be prolonging – or even adding to – a big headache down the line. Taking the time to recycle it properly is not just a problem solved, but a benefit retained.
2. Turn Scrap Into Cash
Depending on the vehicle, its condition and materials, you could be bringing home anywhere from $150 to $1500 for your trouble. That could be enough to replace your scrap car with a more valuable parts car! Pocket the change and save it for that part you haven’t been able to find – you’ll be able to bid on it when it does turn up. Or spend it on gas during cruise season… in Canada, we all know how short it can be. However you want to spend the cash is up to you, and the incentive (no pun intended) is hard to beat.
3. Charitable Junk
You know what they say – one man’s trash is another man’s treasure! Choose to donate to charity by recycling your scrap car. Take the money you receive from recycling your car directly to a cause you care about. Or, if you just want to skip the trip to recycle your car altogether, research local charities that will take it away for you. Search “donate a junk car” and find an organization that provides towing. Even if it is an inconvenience to donate your car for a cause, you’ll know you’ve done a good deed that could potentially change or even save a life.
4. An Environmental Solution
Like it or not, the process of mining for metal can contribute to issues ranging from deforestation and pollution to community displacement. Recycling metal reduces the need for raw materials and is a process that can be much less destructive – and expensive – for the environment. Auto recycling is an industry that addresses the need for sustainable practices as we think of future generations. Although choosing to recycle your scrap metal may not seem like it has a huge impact, the practice of auto recycling is a fantastic way to reduce waste and be part of environmentally friendly solutions. Do your part by reusing your parts!
5. Contribute to the Local Economy
Have you ever had to call your local scrapyard for scrap metal pickup? For many communities, the local junkyard is equal parts saving grace and treasure trove, where many young mechanics got their start searching for parts and gaining knowledge and experience. Junk yards are often locally owned businesses, and end-of-life vehicles need a departure point wherever they quit. Handing over your car for recycling is providing a job – a decent one, at that.
Say You Don’t Recycle
Where else will your junk car go? It would take longer than you could fathom for a vehicle to disintegrate – burying a car won’t make it disappear! Even underwater, vehicles are a form of waste that can be preserved for decades, if not millennia. Is your hunk of metal really something you want future generations to inherit with the property? Do you truly think it’s a time capsule people will be excited to find? Or has this article informed you of the multiple benefits that come along with being responsible, reasonable and resourceful in recycling your auto waste? Either way, we hope you’ve considered the genuine benefits – for yourself, and the world – of auto recycling.