Junking cars makes sense, it saves space and is becoming a lucrative industry. However, beyond that, junking cars makes environmental sense. Simply by junking your old vehicles, you can help the environment. When old cars sit they can leak harmful oils and rusty vehicles can contaminate the earth. These oils and rust are absorbed in the ground and can run through rivers, streams, and into our drinking water! Here's how junking cars can be good for the environment!
Nearly 75% of end of life vehicles are recycled, as a result nearly 14 million tons of steel is recycled which equals approximately 13 million cars. This means that the "car recycling" industry have nearly a 100% rate of recycling! 65% of a car is made from steel and the price of scraps steel and iron is hovering around $250 per ton as a result of growing demand from growing economies in Asia. There is no doubt that car junking is a multibillion dollar industry with environmental environments.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), recycling metal uses nearly 74% less energy that making new steel. Furthermore, the automobile industry can save up to 85 million barrels of oil simply by using recycled parts. Not only that, but recycled steel is also cheaper because new ore doesn't have to be mined. Mining for ore can cause great damage to the natural landscape. The releasing of sediment and metal can contaminate lakes, rivers, and other bodies of water. Mining can also negatively impact wildlife, plant populations and lead to soil erosion. Steel mining has also been known to decrease air quality as it can release particulate matter into the air. That is part of why it is so beneficial for salvage yards to recycle cars. In today's market, all steel is made from at least 25% recycled steel and some products are even made from 100% recycled steel. One ton of recycled steel saves 2,500 pounds of iron ore, 120 pounds of limestone, and 1,400 pounds of coal. This means that by recycling cars you are also conserving natural resources.
There is no doubt that the car junking industry is doing its part by recycling old, junk cars and reusing and recycling the steel and other parts. However, make sure you do your part as well by making sure that you find a company that junks and recycles cars properly!
