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Recycle your car, don't scrap. Actually, scrap yards have been car recyclers long before the word was popular. Find out more about car recycling and learn how to recycle your car and retire your vehicle.
Recycle, Don't Scrap
(NC)—Say "scrap yard" and some people conjure up images of crushed cars, and piles of parts left alone to rust with little concern for the environment, but nothing could be further from the truth. The reality is that scrap yards are better known as automotive recyclers, and that's exactly what they do – recycle.
Recyclers that are members of the Automotive Recyclers of Canada are committed to maintaining the highest standards of environmental stewardship when recycling vehicles. As the majority of an average car's content by weight can be recycled and hazardous liquids can be disposed of safely, recyclers take the necessary steps to ensure that cars are permanently retired so they don't pollute again, and that cars are recycled in the most environmentally responsible way possible.
Stage 1
Pre-treatment: drainage of operating fluidsAll fluids are drained and stored for re-use or recycling. Special equipment and methods are used in order to prevent any groundwater contamination.
Did you know?
– An average of 40 litres of fluids are removed from each vehicle and are used, re-used or responsibly disposed of.
Stage 2
Parts re-use: dismantling of parts and components
Parts that do not contribute to that car's emissions are removed, inspected and readied for resale or recycling. Parts related to the engine or transmission are never reused, as they were creating the smog in the first place.
Did you know?
– After testing, batteries that are in good condition are sold to customers for re-use. Others are sent to a licensed recycling facility to be rebuilt.
Stage 3
Recycling of materials
The unusable portion of the vehicle is crushed and sent to be shredded for recovery. Any valuable metals are separated and re-used to make new cars and other consumer products, reducing the demand for raw materials.
Did you know?
– Seventy-five per cent of an average car's content by weight can be recycled.
If you want to ensure that your car is permanently retired and responsibly recycled, participate in Retire Your Ride. The Automotive Recyclers of Canada and the Government of Canada crafted a mandatory National Code of Practice for automotive recyclers participating in the program that ensures recyclers have the most relevant information and tools necessary to prevent hazardous materials contained in end-of-life vehicles from contaminating our water, soil, and air.
More information is available online at www.retireyourride.ca.