How Can The Various Components Of Your Car Be Reused And Recycled?

If you were to drive past a junkyard and take a look at the piles of cars sitting on the lot, you might assume that once cars stop working, there's nothing more to do with them than just let them sit there and hope someone comes around to scavenge their parts. But this is not the case! Day by day, recycling and reusing car parts is becoming more and more prevalent. Here's a look at the ways some of your car's components can be reused, re-purposed, and recycled.

Engine Oil

If you give your car to a recycling facility, one of the first things they will do is drain the oil from the engine. This oil can be cleaned in a special plant, removing all traces of metal and pollutants so that it can be resold and used again.

Windows and Windshield

The glass in your car's windows is a little harder to recycle than the glass found in bottles and jars. This is because car windows feature a layer of plastic in their interior; the plastic keeps the window from totally shattering if it is hit with a rock or other debris. The windows and windshields can, however, be ground up and used to make fiberglass insulation.

Car Rims

Your car's rims are probably made from aluminum, so they can be recycled like any other aluminum product. They may be melted down and used to make cans, aluminum roofing, or even fencing materials.

Tires

Made from rubber, tires can be pretty hazardous if allowed to simply break down in a landfill. Luckily, most places now grind the tires down into small pieces of rubber. Rubber hoses in your car can be treated the same way. This rubber can be used to make roads, and it can even be used as the flooring for a playground or indoor horse riding ring.

Plastic Components

Today's cars have a lot of plastic components, such as the gas cap, dashboard, light covers, and switch plate covers. The plastic components can be gathered up, cleaned, and melted down to be used to make anything from plastic food containers to new vent covers. 

It's always sad when your car dies, but you can rest assured that its parts will live on. What was once a car will become flooring for a playground, a plastic tote bin, insulation, and aluminum cans. Recycling your car is the best choice for the environment and for the planet's future.

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