Over the decades, there have been major advances done in the area of metal recycling. For instance, consider steel cans. They were once thrown away or discarded but nowadays the can is completely recyclable. Possibly the most well known form of metal recycling is car recycling and the scrap yard, mainly in thanks to pop culture.

There is a lot more to car scrapping than you probably realise, but how is a 13000 kg car recycled? Read on to discover the entire process!

It is taken to pieces 

When car breakers like Birmingham AutoBreak take a car, it is first handed over to their engineers who will remove any fluid present such as engine oil. Other than the fact that it makes the process safer, these fluids hold a resale value too.

Once this is done, everything on the car is removed until only the shell remains. All components such as the battery are tested and if they are in working condition, they are resold too. If they are not functioning, they are put through for recycling.

Estimations 

Any component with a resale value is weighed and then sent to an expert for an evaluation of its price, after which it is resold on the second hand motor market. Any electrical component that is working generally sells for a high value while components of the body are equally valued. During a motor crash, the bodywork is usually where most of the damage is sustained, so consumers are always looking for used body components that are affordable and in good condition.

Once the electrical components and bodywork are sold, all that is left are metals. Although less valued, they are still highly useful. The breakers yard will sell these metals to bigger iron salvaging plants. The metal is divided into two categories called ferrous metals and non-ferrous metals. The latter consists of metals such as aluminium and copper – which are rarer metals – while ferrous contains metals like iron, which are commonly found and therefore hold a lower value.

Metal recycling 

Once the remains of the scrap car are sent to the plant, the entire procedure – more or less the same – occurs again. The metal is weighed, then given a price and the seller is compensated. The plant melts the metal to turn it into something else or the scrap is sent to other divisions to be repurposed.

It is your turn to go green!

As concerns grow over the environment and the effect we humans make on the world, you can help make a change and reduce the carbon footprint we leave behind on the world with efficent car scrapping and recycling.

We here at Birmingham AutoBreak are highly focused on doing our part for the environment. When you hand a vehicle over to our technicians for car scrapping, you can rest easy knowing that the vehicle will be safely recycled and used to make something else. We also go to great lengths to ensure that you are compensated well for your belongings. Give us a call on 0121 333 3366 to get a quote on your vehicle today!