Old vehicles usually end up in a scrap heap. But you would be surprised to know that there is more to your old car than just that. Here is a brief guide to all the different parts of your old car that can be re-used and recycled.
A lot of used car parts in a junkyard
1. Battery
One of the most widely recycled parts of a car, the battery needs to be handled with care. Unauthorised dealers usually smelt the batteries in an open furnace. This releases lead and may cause poisoning. Proper disposal requires a breakdown of all the battery components such as electrolytes, plastic and lead. The plastic cover is then crushed, while the lead is carefully smelted into pellets and ingots for reuse. Also, the sulphuric acid in the battery is neutralized using a simple compound.
2. Oil filters
In order to recycle oil filters, one has to ensure that all the oil has been drained from the reservoir. These filters should not be thrown in a landfill as they can be hazardous. However, they do contain steel which can be put to use again.
3. Motor Oil
Motor oil doesn’t go bad with use, it simply gets dirty. After it is drained from the reservoir, the motor oil can be cleaned. This helps prevent negligent disposal of the oil which might have otherwise contaminated the soil or even groundwater.
4. Tyres
Tyres are non-bio-degradable and occupy a lot of space. Stacks of tyres at a landfill or outside a spare parts shop is not a new sight. But it’s also no surprise that tyres can reused. They can be remade into new tyres, repurposed as fuel, used to make artificial turf or other products.
5. Glass
The glass used in automobiles can be repurposed and reused for making drinking glasses, counter-tops, jewellery among other things.
6. Parts of the engine
The engine is of particular importance to scrap dealers. And this is a major factor in deciding how they evaluate your old vehicle. Engine parts like the radiator, spark plug, the catalytic converters etc. have a lot of potential for recycling if the right opportunity comes along.
7. Body of the car – scrap metal
This is a no-brainer. While the engine’s condition is what helps evaluate the price of the car, the scrap metal is one of the most valuable resources to be obtained from scrapping an end-of-life vehicle. The metal in the car’s body is the easiest part to recycle. The doors and wheels are often removed, and reused in a different manner, but the body is usually crushed into metal blocks.
8. Plastic components
There are a lot of plastic components in the interior of a car. These can be shredded into smaller pieces and used to make other products.
9. Mats and carpets
Old tyres can be repurposed to make mats and carpets, especially for cars. However, this process can work the other way around as well. Old car mats and carpets can be shredded and used again in several ways.
Cero is committed to recycling end-of-life vehicles in a manner that is environment-friendly and, at the same time, give you a fair value for your car. If you wish to dispose of your vehicle, we have a simple process to help you do so.
