You have had enough with your old car and you take the decision to sell it. Once you make the call to a Denver junkyard, they will come, pay cash and tow it away. Did you wonder what happens to your car after you sell it? Here is a brief outline of the recycling process that is carried out at Denver salvage yards.
Fluids
Your car contains a wide variety of fluids and they have the potential to cause a lot of harm if they are exposed to the environment. It has been identified that a junk car has around 5 to 10 gallons of fluid in it. They include power steering fluid, brake fluid, transmission fluid, Freon, fuel, antifreeze and engine oil. In order to dispose of these fluids without creating a negative impact on the environment, a recycling process is carried out. Freon that can be found in the air conditioning system can contribute towards the depletion of ozone layer. Freon is being used as a refrigerant but properly recycled can be used for low income families. In addition, motor oil is being used to cater the energy requirements of power plants and furnaces as they never wear out. Likewise, when the antifreeze is drained, it is cleaned properly in order to eliminate all the contaminants such as oils and metals. Consumers reuse antifreeze in an effort to save money and in doing so help the environment.
Pulled Parts
Even though your car is an old one, some parts of it can be in good condition. These components are pulled out at your local Denver junkyard for the purpose of reselling. All the pulled parts are cleaned and reconditioned properly before testing them. If they pass, they are being released to the market for the use of people in need. The commonly pulled parts of a typical car include alternators, batteries, axels, starters, transmissions and engines. In addition, outer components such as mirrors, bumpers, doors and hoods also have a huge demand.
Recycled Parts
Some of the parts need to be recycled before they are put to the second hand market. For example, dead batteries cannot be left in a single place because they contain toxic ingredients such as lead. However, lead can be removed effectively from the old batteries to make them new. In fact, 90% of the lead can be recycled. Batteries are one of the most recycled parts in junk vehicles. In fact, 98% if the junk car batteries are recycled. Just like lead, the plastic content in the batteries are also recycled. The plastic can be washed and melted to make pellets. Then they can be used as cases for new batteries.
The tires of junk cars can also be recycled in an efficient manner. From the recent studies, it has been identified that millions of car types are being put out to pasture per year. However, 85% of them can be repurposed. The recycled tires can be used for a wide variety of applications. For example, they are being used to create cushioning for playgrounds, sent to paper mills as fuel and are used during highway asphalt. 50% of a typical car is made out of plastic. They can also be recycled in order to make packing material, plastic bottles and plastic caps.
Steel
About 60% of the weight of a junk car comes from steel and iron. As you already know, steel and iron takes a lot of time to decompose. Therefore, necessary steps are taken in order to recycle these metal parts. In fact, 18 million tons of steel is recycled per year. Before the steel recycling process, all the fluids are drained and useable parts are pulled out. Then they are flattened with a crusher. After that, fist sized bits are created with the help of a shredding machine. A large magnet is being used during this process to separate steel from other materials. The recycled steel is used during the manufacturing process of new cars. For example, 25% of the steel in doors, hood, panels and trunks come from recycled junk cars. In addition, they are being used in a variety of household appliances, bridges, airplane hangars, elevators, furnaces, construction materials and cans. The recycling process of steel has the potential to save a tremendous amount of energy as well. In addition, the durability of steel makes it an ideal material to be recycled.
Other metals
A variety of other metals can also be found in junk cars. Aluminum holds a prominent place out of them. In fact, aluminum is being used to reduce the overall weight of the car and increase its fuel efficiency. Therefore, most of the components of a car, including transmission fluid coolers, radiators, alternator housings, engine heads, cases and wheels are made out of aluminum. Some of the cars even come along with aluminum fenders and hoods. Around 90% of the aluminum in a typical car can be recycled and they are being used during the manufacturing process of new cars.
Some Platinum Group Metals such as rhodium, palladium and platinum can also be found in a junk car. These metals have a high demand because they are rare and precious. They are mainly used in catalytic converters in order to minimize harmful emissions. Around 1 to 15 grams of these precious metals are recovered during the recycling process. As they are precious, recycling even a small amount can be worth. The recycled precious metals are then used in electronic appliances and catalytic converters.
Now you have a clear understanding on what happens to your junk car after you sell it. Around 85% of junk cars can be recycled in an effective manner. Therefore, you are encouraged to sell them to an Aurora junkyard to help protect the world in which we live.