After the end of its useful lifespan, a car may either be recycled at a car salvage lot or end up in a landfill. The latter situation results in wasted resources, lost income for the owner, and negative environmental effects. Car recycling, on the other hand, lets society reuse or recycle usable materials and limit its environmental impact. Below are some key ecological advantages of recycling your vehicle.

3 Ways Recycling at a Car Salvage Yard Benefits the Environment

1. It Reduces Pollution

As mentioned above, cars that are not recycled normally end up as landfill waste. Plastic and synthetic rubber do not biodegrade effectively, and simply accumulate over the years, creating an eyesore on the land. 

Moreover, automotive fluids and toxic metals like lead, acid, and mercury can contaminate soil, groundwater, and nearby lakes and rivers. Recycling reduces this pollution considerably.

2. It Reduces Greenhouse Gasses

The vehicle parts manufacturing process generates a huge quantity of greenhouse gasses, or gasses that worsen the greenhouse effect and contribute to climate change. So do the mining, refining, and production of the metals and synthetic parts required to make a vehicle. The more vehicles that are recycled, the fewer parts must be manufactured and the fewer materials must be mined and refined—and the fewer greenhouse gasses are emitted.

3. It Conserves Limited Resources

The earth contains only a limited amount of metal appropriate for making a vehicle. It is a non-renewable resource, and should be used judiciously. 

Car recycling lets us reclaim and reuse these materials over and over again. Much of a typical passenger car's shell and frame is composed of steel and iron, and every new car contains about 25% recycled metal. Every recycled ounce is an ounce that need not be removed from the ground.

To help the environment by recycling your car or truck at a car salvage yard, contact High Point Auto Salvage in High Point, NC. They have served Guilford County and the Piedmont area since 1985. They remove and put up for sale all usable materials before recycling and crushing the rest. They offer generous cash payments for junk cars and provide fast local delivery and nationwide shipping on used truck and auto parts. Learn more about them by visiting their website or call  (336) 889-9062 to discuss the car salvage process.